African Diplomat's and Former Olympian's Daughter Suzanne Africa Engo Announces 'Africa 101 Project' - Her 858-Mile Run from New York to Chicago

African Diplomat's and Former Olympian's Daughter Suzanne Africa Engo Announces 'Africa 101 Project' - Her 858-Mile Run from New York to Chicago

NEW YORK, Sept. 10 /PRNewswire/ --
WHAT: 858-Mile Solo Ultra Marathon Kickoff: CAUSE MEDIA GROUP & NY AIDS
FILM FESTIVAL

WHO: Hit R&B Artist MAXWELL kicks off event with BERTIL LINDBLAD, Director
UNAIDS NYO; KENNETH PODZIBA, NYC Sports Commissioner, on behalf of Mayor
Bloomberg; TOBY TANSER, Shoe4Africa; and ceremony opener KEVIN LILES, EVP
Warner Music Group & "Make it Happen" author, among other VIP speakers

WHEN: Monday, September 15th, 2008, 10am sharp

WHERE: Media Island: The United Nations Headquarters New York Media Island
is the press island directly in front of the visitors' entrance gate of
The United Nations on 45th and 1st Avenue.

Beginning September 15th, online media personality and AIDS activist Suzanne Africa Engo, joined by partners, trainers, celebrity friends and community leaders, will launch the Africa 101 Project run. She will run 858 miles beginning at the United Nations in New York to HARPO Studios in Chicago in a New York AIDS Film Festival initiative. As part of her efforts to raise awareness for AIDS activism through this run, she has lost 94 pounds in 6 months on Oprah Winfrey's Best Life Diet and personal fitness, marathon and yoga training since January in preparation for the final leg of her challenge -- an 858-mile run before WORLD AIDS DAY. The project will be documented and the finale will be at the opening of the New York AIDS Film Festival December 4th.

The festival this year will recognize with honors (PRODUCT) RED, Shoe4Africa, Warner Music Group, Diamond Empowerment Fund (DEF) and special recognition to the NY Commission of Sports, whose messages inspired Engo at the annual festival held at the United Nations with UNAIDS as part of World AIDS Day programming.

BACKGROUND PROFILE: SUZANNE AFRICA ENGO, founder of the New York AIDS Film Festival (NYAFF), is ranked one of the TOP 40 Most Influential Youth AIDS Activists Globally by MTV and The Kaiser Family Foundation. Africa Engo first spoke at the United Nations at age 6 as a junior ambassador for Cameroon and continued her activism mostly specific to AIDS as co-founder of African Action on AIDS (http://www.africanactiononaids.org/) and founder of the NYAFF, accredited to the United Nations ECOSOC & DPI. Africa Engo is the daughter of International Court Judge and former UN Ambassador His Excellency Judge Paul Bamela Engo, also a former Olympic athlete, and Her Excellency Dr. Ruth Bamela Engo, President of African Action on AIDS and formerly of the Office of the Special Adviser on Africa to the Secretary General of the United Nations (OSAA).

Video & Info: http://www.africa101project.org/

Photos:
Suzanne Africa Engo: http://www.ereleases.com/pr/2008-Engo.jpg
Maxwell: http://www.ereleases.com/pr/2008-Engo2.jpg

This release was issued through eReleases(TM). For more information, visit http://www.ereleases.com/.

Source: New York AIDS Film Festival

CONTACT: Gabrielle Bernstein, +1-917-660-4132,
gabrielle@gabriellebernstein.com; or Alexander Zobler, +1-203-947-5357,
alexander.zobler@africa101project.org; or Cause Media, +1-212-591-1434,
press@girlbehindthecameraproductions.com, all for New York AIDS Film Festival

Web site: http://www.africa101project.org/

NOTE TO EDITORS: MEDIA must arrive and check in at 9:00am. Television Crews arrive no later than 9:00am for set-up. Print, Radio + Online Press no later than 9:30am. RSVP REQUIRED PLEASE! However, no official UN accreditation is required.

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Profile: intent