Dr. Norma Lozano-Jackson to co-lead 77-person delegation to Africa with Vice President of Colombia, H.E. Francia Marquez Mina

Former Founder and Director of the Office of International Programs at Benedict College, Dr. Norma Lozano-Jackson, is set to co-lead a 77-person delegation accompanying the Vice President of Colombia, H.E. Francia Marquez Mina, on her 10-day visit to three countries in Africa - South Africa, Kenya, and Ethiopia. The delegation will explore opportunities for cooperation between the African Continent and Colombia in areas such as commerce, culture, art and sports, education exchanges, the environment, women's rights/empowerment, peace, and youth programs.

This historic trip, which is scheduled from May 10-18, 2023, marks the first time in Colombia's over 200-year history that a leftist President and a black woman from the grassroots have taken the reins of leadership. Vice President Marquez has been a human rights and environmental advocate since the age of 13, when she raised her voice against illegal mining practices that were polluting the local rivers in her municipality of La Toma, State of Cauca. Her activism led her to lead a group of 80 women on a 350-mile walk to Bogota, the country's capital city, for which she was awarded the prestigious Goldman Environmental Prize in 2018.

Dr. Jackson, in charge of the agenda for Colombian and African civil society leaders, will play a key role in shaping the trip's objectives and ensuring that all parties involved have a productive and meaningful engagement. This visit is just the first of two planned trips to the African continent this year, with Ghana, Senegal, and Nigeria being the next set of countries to be visited. Both trips aim to establish long-lasting partnerships between Colombia and Africa, fostering cooperation and mutual understanding in various spheres of life.