The just-concluded 2007 Nigerian general elections mark the first civilian transfer of power in Nigeria since its independence from Britain in 1960. Civic Life International (www.civiclifeint.org) has initiated talks with the School of Media and Public Affairs at George Washington University, to host a 2-day summit in Washington D.C , Fall 2007. The summit will consider the prospects for this aspiring democracy to become a strategic, democratic partner for the United States and a stabilizing influence in the region.

The proposed summit will be an opportunity to engage and interact with key Nigerian leaders (governors, bureaucrats, diplomats, media owners and policy researchers who have granted their consent). The conference organizers believe that democratic aspirations require a transparent, fertile and dynamic seed bed of peaceful dialogue and deliberation to grow and flourish. Together, the conference organizers hope to better understand and assist Nigeria to effect positive change, reducing chances for corruption, increasing profits and fairness from oil and other natural resources, and improving cooperation on concerns of terrorism, among other issues. Counterparts from the State Department, World Bank, and relevant Non-Government Organizations have been invited to participate in this mutually beneficial exchange. For more information on joining the summit as a partner, please contact Tokunbo Awoshakin at 937-259-9889 or Amy Jones at 937- 241-8213.