Dignitaries at the EMY Africa event
EMY AFRICA, the pan-African platform celebrating leadership, achievement, and cultural impact, has staged two landmark events in London, reaffirming the city’s growing status as a global gateway connecting Africa with international investment, innovation, diplomacy, and its thriving diaspora.
On July 30, 2026, EMY Africa hosted the Africa Rising Symposium at the Terrace Pavilion, UK Parliament, Palace of Westminster, bringing together policymakers, academics, business leaders, and creatives to explore Africa’s cultural diplomacy, global partnerships, and diaspora engagement.
The symposium also marked the launch of the inaugural EMY Africa Magazine UK Special Issue, a curated publication spotlighting the Black British experience and its contribution to global culture, leadership, and progress.
This was followed on Sunday, August 2, 2026 by the EMY Africa Soirée London, a premium gathering for EMY Africa alumni, partners, and dignitaries at the London Hilton, Park Lane, uniting an influential cross-section of policymakers, business leaders, investors, entrepreneurs, parliamentarians, creatives, and cultural figures from across Africa, the UK, and the global diaspora.
“Africa’s future will increasingly be shaped through collaboration that extends beyond borders. London remains one of the world’s most important meeting points for African entrepreneurship, investment, diplomacy and innovation. Our vision is to ensure that the African diaspora is recognised not simply as a community abroad, but as a strategic partner in building Africa’s future. Through the Africa Rising Symposium and the EMY Africa London Soirée, we are creating spaces where meaningful partnerships are formed, ideas are exchanged and lasting impact begins,” Daniel Kojo Soboh, Executive Director EMY Africa, commented.
Hosted at the historic Terrace Pavilion within the Palace of Westminster, the Africa Rising Symposium convened senior policymakers, academics, diplomats, entrepreneurs and cultural leaders to examine how Africa’s growing global influence can be accelerated through stronger UK-Africa partnerships, cultural diplomacy and diaspora engagement.
The inaugural UK Special Issue features distinguished personalities including Rudolph Walker CBE, Hugh Quarshie, Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP, Abena Oppong-Asare MP, David Gyasi and Lavinya Stennett, alongside an extraordinary collection of contributors reflecting on the enduring ties connecting Britain, Africa and the Caribbean.
Albert Chris Soboh, Editor-in-Chief of EMY Africa, said, “The Legacy We Carry is a tribute to every voice that has shaped our understanding of identity and belonging across Britain, Africa, and the Caribbean. To unveil this issue within the walls of the UK Parliament was a powerful reminder that our stories deserve to be told at the very centre of power and history.”
Building on the momentum of the symposium, the EMY Africa London Soirée welcomed an influential gathering of political leaders, investors, entrepreneurs, creatives, senior executives and members of the diplomatic community at the London Hilton on Park Lane.
Guests included distinguished figures such as Rudolph Walker CBE, David Gyasi, Vanessa Kingori OBE, Lady Anne Walsh, Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP, Florence Eshalomi MP, Abena Oppong-Asare MP, alongside senior investors, entrepreneurs, business executives and diplomatic representatives.
The soirée provided exceptional opportunities for international media coverage spanning business, politics, diplomacy, culture, diversity, entrepreneurship and UK-Africa relations while highlighting London’s growing influence as a gateway for African capital, innovation and diaspora-led enterprise.
The events reflected EMY Africa’s evolution into a global platform championing African excellence, leadership and opportunity while positioning the diaspora as a strategic driver of investment, innovation, cultural diplomacy and sustainable partnerships.