Announcements

Ambassador Bob F. Jalang’o

Coordinator of Ambassador in Residence Program at Africana Studies Center at New York University

For nearly forty years, Ambassador Jalang’o has traveled all over the world in different high level capacities – a private sector senior executive, elected member of Kenya’s Legislature, diplomatic Ambassador and finally an adjunct Professor in African Studies. Following the conclusion of his diplomatic service as Ambassador of Kenya to the United Nations in New York city, Ambassador Jalang’o embarked on promoting Africa as a public speaker through his seminar series entitled “Africa’s Beauty, Wonder & Diversity”, with simultaneous lectures on the role of United Nations in global governance, and supporting UN Model clubs in Colleges. The seminars and workshops provide programs that explore different African cultures and embody the concept of diversity that helps to ease racial tensions in schools between students of different backgrounds. Supplemental guidelines for teachers of grades 3-12 are added African history, geography, languages, culture, politics and economic issues. All these are prepared to purposefully remove such negative misrepresentations of Africa that are popularly held by many outsiders.

Due to his extensive travels in Africa and other parts of the world, Mr. Jalang’o believes that commitment to diversity is not only at levels of higher education but for the younger students as well. The seminars that put emphasis on music, dance and culture provide a training ground for students wishing to serve their communities on diversity issues and provide local communities with opportunity to connect with schools and initiatives in Africa through a partnership program. Students are made to know that Africa is not a homogenous place analogous to a large country, say China or Russia, but a continent with dynamic diversity of African cultures, societies, economies, and polities. From personal history and experiences

Mr. Jalang’o served as Ambassador of Kenya to three Central African countries of Zambia, Malawi and Botswana for four years, then served as Ambassador to Italy, Greece, Poland and the UN Agencies in Rome for another four years before being posted to the United Nations in December 2000 as Permanent Representative of Kenya. While in Rome and New York he represented Kenya on the conflicts in Sudan and Somalia.

Prior to joining diplomatic service, Mr. Jalang’o was elected to Kenya’s Legislature and represented a rural constituency in western Kenya on the shores of the beautiful Lake Victoria from 1988-1983. He represented Kenya as a member of the Commonwealth Parliamentary group, Kenya’s representative to trade negotiations European Union and African, Caribbean and pacfic countries (ACP-EU Lome trade Agreements), chairman of Public Accounts committee and a member of a parliamentary Task Force to investigate tribal clashes that rocked the Rift Valley and Western Kenya regions in 1991.

Ambassador Jalang’o was initially trained in information technology and worked in the private sector for 14 years as IT Manager for Caltex Services Mid-Africa and Caltex Oil Kenya Ltd (an American based petroleum company providing marketing and other services in six Eastern and Central African countries). This was the beginning of his travels within Africa and internationally.

In his spare time, Ambassador Jalang’o has been actively involved in volunteer work as a board member American Red Cross of Tompkins county; Advisory council member of Retired and Senior volunteer Program, a Family Mediator with Community Dispute and Resolution Center and a mentor to middle school students.

As an adjunct Professor offering a course on the role of United Nations in the prevention and mitigation of Africa’s conflicts and coordinating monthly speaker series on UN, Africa and the Diaspora, Ambassador Jalang’o brings diverse experiences in political, diplomatic and private sector fields, and vast knowledge of the Africa’s cultural and ethnic differences. From personal history and experiences, Mr. Jalang’o has been able to provide audiences with an opportunity to attain a deeper understanding of Africa.