CHICAGO, JANUARY 20, 2004 ---- After more than nine years since the inaugural of CEANA was held in Chicago, CEANA Convention 2004 returns to the windy city during the Labor Day weekend with pomp and grandeur. This year, Ewes all over North America, Europe and Africa will be attending the 10th annual CEANA Convention in Chicago. Chicago! my kind of town! Chicago, the great windy city of the Midwest will be buzzing and sizzling hot with CEANA activities on the 2004 Labor Day weekend. If you have not yet planned your 2004 summer vacation, start planning now; start packing your bags ready to head north to the Midwest hub of Chicago. It will be great! It will be a mixture of serious planning for development projects for the Eweland and lots of fun galore!

Treat the 2004 Labor Day weekend as a weekend of get-away to camaraderie with friends. Treat this day as a day of opportunity to mingle and exchange greetings with past school mates and friends you have not seen for a very, very long time. If you are an Ewe, make sure you do not miss out when the final count is taken. Come to Chicago and participate in deliberating with other Ewes worldwide on issues that affect the Eweland

WHAT IS CEANA AND THE EWE ASSOCIATION OF CHICAGO?

The Ewe Association of Metropolitan Chicago is an affiliate organization of the Council of Ewe Associations of North America (CEANA), the umbrella organization representing twelve North America organizations of Ewe descent from West Africa. To be more precise, the Ewe Association of Metropolitan Chicago is an Illinois Not-for-Profit corporation, and is registered with the Illinois Secretary of State’s office. As an affiliate of CEANA, the corporation is a charitable organization and is exempt from federal income tax under section 501 (a) of the Internal Revenue Code as an organization described in section 501 (c) (3) under the charter granted to CEANA. Also, the Council of Ewe Associations of North America (CEANA) is a Not-for-Profit and Charitable Organization. It is the umbrella organization of twelve Ewe associations in North America. It has its permanent secretariat in New York City. Among its objections are the following:

1. Promote contact with all Ewes in North America to harness their intellectual, social, economic and cultural talents for the development of Eweland in West Africa:

2. Create and undertake economic programs and projects for the development of the Eweland in West Africa.

The twelve CEANA affiliate organizations are as follow:

1. The Ewe Association of Chicago, Inc., Chicago, Illinois,

2. The Ewe Association of Georgia, Atlanta,

3. The Ewe Multicultural Assoc. of Ontario, North York, Ontario,

4. The Ewe Association of Dallas, Dallas, Texas, 5. The Ewe Habobo of Southern California, Mission Hills, California, 6. The United Volta Association, Bronx, New York, 7. The Ewe Association of Houston, Houston, Texas, 8. The Volta Club, Washington, DC, 9. The Ewe-Canadian Cultural Org. of Ontario, Mississauga, Ontario, 10. The Ewe Association of Mississippi, Arkansas, 11. The Nile Novisi of Florida, Miami, Florida, 12. The Ewe Association of North Carolina, Fayetteville, North Carolina.

THE CEANA CONVENTIONS:

The Council of Ewe Associations of North America (CEANA) organizes annual conventions during the Labor Day weekends. The convention serves as the forum for brainstorming sections among its delegates and member associations to create multi cultural and economic packages for the development of the Eweland. The annual conventions, which are on rotational basis is hosted by one of the twelve affiliate organizations. The 2004 CEANA convention is being hosted by the Ewe Association of Metropolitan Chicago, in Chicago, Illinois during the Labor Day weekend beginning September 3 to September 5 2004.

As a result of the previous years’ conventions, CEANA had and continues to undertake and participate in some projects for the Eweland of West Africa, comprising Ghana, Togo and Benin. Last year for example, CEANA donated about $3.4 million dollars worth of medical equipment to nine hospitals in the Volta Region of Ghana and the Republic of Togo. In the same year, CEANA also donated Electro-Cardiogram and a large quantity of hospital supplies to the Cardiology Center at Korle BU Teaching Hospital in Accra. Additionally, CEANA maintains a scholarship program for students pursuing senior secondary school education in the Volta Region of Ghana.

THEME OF THE CONVENTION:

The theme for this year’s convention is “Education through Cultural Awareness” The emphasis will be on imparting our knowledge of the African culture to our youth. The convention will showcase the following: 1. A one day of delegate and member association meeting to deliberate on issue affecting the Eweland. of Ghana, Togo and Benin;

2. A Saturday Evening Gala Dance at an elegant hotel in Chicago, featuring an atmosphere of pomp, cultural drumming with a parade of Eweland chiefs, Queen-mothers and invited dignitaries;

3. An all-day Picnic on Sunday featuring the Ewe Cultural Troupes from Chicago, New York and Toronto. The food will comprise delicious Eweland Ethnic cuisine (Taste of the Ewe Culture) and:

4. A host of other fabulous cultural programs and entertainment for the youth.

PRODUCER AND ORGANIZER:

The Ewe Association of Chicago, in conjunction with the CEANA Secretariat

WHEN: Friday, September 03 to Sunday, September 05, 2004.

WHERE: Chicago, Illinois.

CULTURAL ATTRACTIONS:

There will be cultural performances by the Ewe Associations’ Cultural Troupes from Chicago, New York and Toronto. Also featured will be cultural performances by the Ewe youth of Chicago.

CONVENTION PROGRAM:

1. Friday morning, delegates representing the twelve Associations Core Meeting

2. Saturday morning, the twelve Associations general Convention Meeting

3. Saturday Evening Dinner Dance

4. Sunday All-day Picnic

5. Traditional African and Ghanaian cultural music and drumming

Issued By CEANA 2004 Organizing Committee Chairman Clement D. Timpo.