Accra, May 24,GNA-President John Atta Mills on Sunday evening lit the perpetual torch for peace in Africa and the world and thanked African Leaders for supporting the immortalisation of Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, Founder of modern Ghana.

In a post dinner speech after launching the three-day Kwame Nkrumah Centenary Colloquium, in Accra, President Mills expressed gratitude to all who had helped made the year long celebration which began in 2009, a success.

The colloquium forms the final part of the year-long celebrations of the centenary birthday of Dr. Nkrumah, which would climax on May 25, the Africa Liberation Day.

It was attended by Dr. Kenneth Kaunda, First and former President of Zambia and a contemporary of Dr. Nkrumah, President Abdoulaye Wade of Senegal, and Nigeria Foreign Affairs Minister, who represented his President Goodluck Jonathan.

Also in attendance, were three children of Dr. Nkrumah- Francis, Sekou and Samia- as well as leaders of the Nkrumahist parties, including Dr. Edward Mahama of the People's National Convention, Prof. Agyemang Badu Akosa and Prof. Nii Noi Dowuona and some Government functionaries during the regime of Nkrumah.

There was also a representation from the African Union Commission in the persons of Mr. Erastus Mwencha, Deputy Chairperson of the African Union Commission and Madam Bience Gawanas, Commissioner for Social Affairs African Union Commission.

President Mills expressed gratitude to the foreign dignitaries and the AU Commission for their assistance in organising the event. African leaders last year declared at an AU Summit May 25 the African Liberation, as a Day in honour of Dr Nkrumah; the day would climax the year-long centenary birthday of the man who is incontrovertibly acclaimed as the African of the 20th Millennium.

Before then, on September 21, 2009, many Africans and their leaders joined Ghanaians in Accra for centenary birthday of the man who led Ghana to independence from British colonial rule in 1957 and provided the needed inspiration for the total liberation of Africa from colonialism. Mr. Erastus Mwencha, who presented the torch of the peace in Africa to President Mills, noted that despite the attainment of independence, there were still were civil strife and armed conflicts in some parts of the Continent.

These, he said, were creating humanitarian disasters and wiping away life long achievements and wealth, and had made the AU place security high on its agenda.

He lauded Ghana for its role in regional, continental and global peacekeeping, adding, the appreciation by the people of Ghana of the value of a peace had led to the peaceful transition of power, making her a beacon of democracy.

"This is the legacy of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah to the people of Ghana and the vision of Africa. Mr. Mwencha reminded residents on the African continent to give peace a chance on September 21.

"There should be no quarrels, no conflicts and our prayer is that guns will be silent on that day. Both President Mills and Mr. Mwencha proposed toasts for the peace and progress of the African Continent.