INTRODUCTION
It would be recalled that one of the ways by which CBAAC seeks to achieve its goals is through public lectures, seminars, symposia and conferences. In the very recent past, the Centre hosted some conferences, prominent among which was the International Conference on “Advancing and Integrating Research and Studies in the Interest of Africa and the African Diaspora” held in collaboration with the Pan African Strategic and Policy Research Group (PANAFSTRAG) in Trinidad and Tobago, in November, 2006. The Conference was successful from all perspectives.

The successes derived from the above gave inspiration to Management to work towards the hosting of another international conference.

THEME: Spirituality, Social Capital and Self Reliance in Africa .

OBJECTIVES
1. To examine ways of rebuilding a common African spiritual foundation for the enhancement of Africa 's full potentials.

2. To strive towards building a global African spiritual coalition for managing crises and conflicts in the global African world.

3. To explore ways of restoring Africa's traditional values by rebuilding families and communities in order to enhance our potentials for self reliance.

PARTICIPANTS
Participants are expected from the following organizations/institutions and countries: Centre for Bantu Civilization (CICIBA), Gabon; Centre for Oral Tradition in Africa, Niger; Cheik Anta Diop Institute for Black and African Studies, Senegal; Kwame Nkrumah Institute of African Studies, Ghana; Centre for African Studies in Kenya, Angola and Zimbabwe. Others include Centre Ahmed Baba, Mali, the African Union, Ethiopia, CODESRIA, Senegal and Institute of African/Cultural Studies/History & Culture Bureaux in Nigerian Universities/Research Centres. State Councils for Arts and Culture are also encouraged to participate in order to expose their culture to the peoples of the Diaspora and the other international countries that are expected at the conferences.

lso expected are participants from the following countries: USA, Canada, France , Holland, Jamaica, Barbados, Guyana, St. Lucia, Curacao, Brazil, Panama, Colombia, Nicaragua and Mexico . In general, participation is open to global Afrocentric organizations, institutions, institutions/centers, universities, artists students and individuals of African descent who have seen the need to reposition and synergise African spirituality for the Intellectual, Cultural, Philosophical, Spiritual, Technology, Psychological and Socio-Economic benefits, advancement and solidarity of global Africans in the 21 st Century.

EXPECTED OUTCOME
1. To develop a sustainable mechanism and action plan for synergizing African and the Diaspora research studies on African spirituality.

2. To build and strengthen the existing African and Afro-descendants curricula for learning and understanding our histories, cultures, and spirituality for global African primary, secondary and tertiary institutions in Africa and the Diaspora.

3. To enhance the goals of the African Union 6 th Region Initiative of the African Diaspora.

4. To foster economic development of Nigeria and Africa as a result of increased economic interaction between Nigeria /Her immediate neighbours and Africans in the Diaspora.

5. To strengthen spiritual and cultural ties between Nigeria and her West African neighbours.

6. To promote and advertise Nigeria 's cultural diversity as a tourism drive in line with the Federal Government policy of “Destination Nigeria ”.

VENUE & DATES
The conference is scheduled to hold from the 13th to 17th of July, 2007 at the Quidah, Benin Republic .