Zambia's 60th Independence Anniversary

Zambia's Ambassador to the USA Celebrated Country's Independence with JMU and Community

On October 9, 2024, the Department of Political Science hosted Zambia's Ambassador to the United States of America, Dr. Chibamba Kanyama.  The Ambassador gave a guest talk on Zambia's democracy and economic development with highlights in the country’s past challenges and opportunities for the future as part of the commemoration of its 60^th independence anniversary. Welcoming the Ambassador to the JMU campus, Provost Bob Kolvoord emphasized the importance that the university places on mutually benefiting partnerships with countries like Zambia and across the Sub-Saharan African region. Provost Kolvoord was proud that JMU has ongoing work that brings a diverse group of stakeholders and facilitates meaningful dialogue focused on Sub-Saharan Africa through many projects that include the Accountability in African Public Policy and Administration conference hosted by JMU’s Department of Political Science, the JMU African, African American, and Diaspora Studies Center and the Centre for the Study of Governance Innovation at the University of Pretoria. Earlier, Dr. JY Zhou, JMU’s Center for Global Engagement (CGE) Executive Director hosted a one-on-one chat with the Ambassador, graduate international students and CGE staff. In her remarks, Dr. JY reiterated the importance of international students in American universities and was delighted to mention that JMU has one graduate student from Zambia, Mwesah Kapesa who is pursuing a Master of Arts in Writing, Rhetoric and Technical Communication.

The guest talk was sponsored by the JMU African, African American, and Diaspora Studies Center. “Supporting events like the Ambassador’s visit is central to AAAD’s mission as the site for Africana Studies at JMU. He taught us so much with his talk, and having faculty and students meet a representative of a head of state was surely a highlight of their educational and professional lives. It was our honor to receive the invitation from POSC to participate and our pleasure to assist in making it possible- Dr. Delores Phillips, AAAD Director.”

JMU students Dimitrije Hryshchyshyn, a Political Science major and Maiya Correa, an Art major led in the Ambassador’s guest talk as fireside chat anchor and Zambia’s art history presenter. Dr. Sombo Muzata, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science was the faculty sponsor and Dr. Kerry Crawford, Department of Political Science Academic Unit Head represented the College of Arts and Letters Dean Dr. Traci Zimmerman.