THE 2010 BISHOP WALKER MEMORIAL DINNER

Celebrating 40 years of Partnership with African Communities

His Excellency Nelson R. Mandela to receive 2010 Bishop John T. Walker Lifetime Achievement Award. Photo courtesy of the Nelson Mandela Foundation

Over the past four decades with the support of a visionary community of donors, Africare has lead the way in achieving measurable progress in improving the lives of millions of people on the continent of Africa. You can assure that millions continue to benefit from Africare’s work by supporting the “Bishop John T. Walker Memorial Dinner (BWD) Gala and the 40th Anniversary of Africare”on November 5, 2010, at the National Building Museum in Washington, DC.

This year’s event will honor His Excellency Nelson R. Mandela for his lifetime of achievements to South Africa and the world. Africare will also present two other special awards ¯ the Bishop John T. Walker Distinguished Humanitarian Service Award, to recognize the work of an individual or individuals who have made a significant difference in Africa, and a Corporate Award, to a business that has been a stalwart supporter of Africare over the years.

The BWD Gala, will again, bring together over 1500 extraordinary citizens including national and international government leaders, the African Diplomatic Corps, representatives from multinational corporations, and outstanding individuals from social, educational and religious organizations. These incredible friends of Africare will come together this fall to show their support for Africare’s work in the areas of health and HIV/AIDS, water and sanitation, food security and agriculture, and emergency and humanitarian relief.

The Africare Bishop John T. Walker Memorial Dinner, in memory of Bishop John T. Walker, is the nation's largest annual fund raising event for Africa. Bishop Walker was Africare's longtime Board chairman and the first African-American Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, DC, who distinguished himself as an exemplar of peace, justice and interracial harmony.

Prior recipients of the Bishop Walker Humanitarian Service Award include singer songwriter, John Legend, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, former Presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Jimmy Carter, then-President Nelson Mandela, Ambassador Andrew Young, Dr. Dorothy I. Height, Graça Machel, former Secretary of State Colin Powell, and philanthropists Bill and Melinda Gates.

We look forward to welcoming you at this year’s Dinner. If you would like to purchase tables or tickets online, please click here.

Your participation will make a difference in so many lives.

Africare is a leading non-profit organization specializing in African aid. It is also the oldest and largest African-American led organization in that field. Since its founding in 1970, Africare has delivered well over $1 billion in assistance and support — over 2,500 projects and millions of beneficiaries — to 36 countries Africa-wide. Africare has its international headquarters in Washington, DC, with field offices currently in some 25 African countries.

The Bishop Walker Dinner plays an important role in enabling Africare to both broaden awareness about its work in Africa and to raise critically needed funds to deliver life-saving services. Africare is committed to working with Health and HIV/AIDS; Food Security and Agriculture, Water and Sanitation; and Emergency and Humanitarian Assistance. The 2009 Africare Bishop Walker Dinner had over 1,200 attendees and raised close to $1 million.

(Updated, July 2010)