African Caribbean People’ s Award
58 AWARDS
African Caribbean People’ s Award
Tony Blair said:
Some of Britain’ s leading black businesses, organisations and celebrities have joined forces to support a landmark anti-slavery event taking place in November.
The African Caribbean People’ s Awards( ACPAs) takes place at Grosvenor House Hotel in central London and will feature a star-studded line up of performers and presenters.
The ceremony pays tribute to popular and lesser-known black British pioneers, and is the first Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic( BAME) event of its kind driven by public votes.
A nine-month national campaign will engage with the public to promote diversity and awareness – and publicise the benefits of corporate social responsibility to large businesses.
Text-voting lines are open until September 2007 for the public to nominate 20 black Britons who have made exceptional progress in a professional sector or field over the past 200 years.
2007 marks exactly 200 years since
Parliament passed the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act. The inaugural ACPA ceremony commemorates the bicentenary by creating the largest ever platform for corporate organisations to engage with smaller BAME companies.
In a bid to raise funds and awareness for deserving causes, ACPA will also donate £ 0.5p from every ACPA text-vote and 5 % of net proceeds from the sale of tickets to the event to charities including the African Caribbean Leukaemia Trust and Hearts to Africa. Last month two of Britain’ s largest BAME media companies- Choice FM radio station and newspaper publishers Ethnic Media Group- pledged their support for the event, as did Prime Minister Tony Blair and the leaders of both opposition parties.
Tony Blair’ s comments were echoed by ACPA communications manager Akosua Annobil-Dodoo:‘ Over the past 200 years- and for centuries before – African Caribbean’ s have played a significant role in shaping the Britain we all know today. ACPA is about highlighting those achievers whose story’ s are rarely told.
‘ This is an opportunity to acknowledge the achievements of black Britons from all walks of life and help inspire a whole new generation.’
‘ The 2007 Bicentenary is an important opportunity to reflect on the struggles of the past; to pay tribute to the courage and moral conviction of all those- black and white – who campaigned for the abolition of slavery.
ACPA’ s role in recognising achievements and in fostering better relationships and understanding between communities is important in helping to support community cohesion.’
For more information about the African Caribbean People’ s Awards contact 020 8861 8368 or visit www. acpawards. com / mediapack engage | uk ISSUE THREE 2007