ROUTES AFRICA: A Warm Welcome to Bamako for all Routes Africa Delegates

To everyone attending our Routes Africa event…Welcome to Bamako in Mali, the fastest growing city in Africa. A social programme has been arranged alongside this year’s event which means that you will hopefully get the chance to enjoy just some of the highlights of the country’s capital city and surrounding region as well as to mix with your fellow colleagues in the business.

These include tours of Bamako including breathtaking views of the city from Koulouba, the presidential palace. The visit also includes the National Park, where you will see the rituals and dances by the Donso (hunters) who have won trophies and the Puppets of Mali, an impressive sight that usually takes place at the festival of puppet Markala.

Another option is to visit Mande, the birthplace of the Mali Empire, where you can view the Kabablon building which dates back from the Middle Ages and contains the secrets of the mysterious story of the founding of one of the greatest empires of medieval Africa. You will also visit Kela, the village griot, (griots are the holders of the history of the country), where you will listen to the music of the ancient Manding and learn all about the history of the region.

Finally, there is the option of a day visit after the forum to the Dogon Country where upon arrival you will be able to sample a traditional day in the life of a Dogoan at the UNESCO World Heritage site. The Dogon people migrated to the Bandiagara Escarpment from the surrounding plains in around 1300, to take refuge from the more bellicose Muslims. Today they remain mostly animists and only a few of the villages have mosques. What makes the Dogon special are their complex and elaborate culture, their art forms and their multi-storey houses and granaries.

Speaking to The HUB ahead of the formal opening of the event, Aya Thiam Diallo, Président Directeur Général, Aeroports du Mali, said: “We are happy to welcome you to Mali, a place of history, myths and legends. Mali is a country of great hospitality, with huge cultural diversity. The mysterious Timbuktu, Mopti - the Venice of Mali, the Dogon country where natives live traditional lives based on ancient cultures and beliefs, and the Mosque of Djenné, which is the largest mud brick building in the world and considered by many architects to be the greatest achievement of the Sudano-Sahelian architectural style, are all highlights of the region, and we encourage delegates to experience them!”.

But, we must remember that we are here to work and this year, the sixth Routes Africa event, will bring together more than 120 delegates from 50 different countries. These include around 30 airline staff representing over 20 different carriers and 25 plus from around 20 airports.

These range from small regional airlines and airports to major flag carriers and international hubs and are not just confined to the African region, with delegates representing companies from Europe, the Middle East and North America too.

There will be a strong presence from local and international airlines including special Route Exchange briefings from Air France, Arik Air, Ethiopian Airlines and South African Airways.

Meanwhile, tomorrow’s Strategy Forum is not to be missed with high profile speakers, including senior executives from Air Mali, Air Nigeria, Aéroports du Mali, Abidjan Airport and Ghana Airports Company, as well as industry bodies ACI and AFRAA.

The opening day’s agenda is listed below for your interest…

Sunday 3rd July, 2011
14:00 Registration/Diary Collection & Networking Area open/Enregistrement ouvert
15:00 – 16:00 Route Development Workshop - Session 1 /Atelier de development de route - Première Session
16.00 – 16.15 Refreshment Break/ Pause café
16:15 – 17:15 Route Development Workshop - Session 2 /Atelier de development de route - Deuxieme Session
17:30 – 19:30 Welcome Reception

If you are attending the event, I look forward to meeting you over the next couple of days. If not, you will be kept up to date on the key news in the two issues of The HUB Daily that are being produced at the event.

Richard Maslen, Editor – Routesonline – The HUB

To keep up to date with the latest news from this year’s Routes Africa follow the #Routes Africa hashtag on Twitter.