Created 20 years ago today, the original name was IMANI Centre for Humane Education. I changed it to IMANI Centre for Policy & Education for three reasons: First, the abbreviation for the first name was CHE, phonetically synonymous with the celebrated communist, Che Guevera( IMANI folks aren't communist!).

The second and perhaps the more pressing reason was after I received many enquiries from Americans, especially on whether IMANI was a branch of the Humane Society, an animal welfare body in the USA.

The third of course, is what we actually do- policy activism and education.

IMANI is a Swahili word for faith, from the Arabic word, IMAN ( remember 70% of Swahili emanates from Arabic). I chose IMANI because I needed an African name that resonated with my aspirations and faith in Africa.

We will share our full story and the contribution of key principals and staff..

However, it is important to mention that by the end of year 2006, just two years after its birth, IMANI had had so much global media foot print and influence, thanks to the family, Linda Whetstone, Julian Morris Kendra Okonski, Jo Kwong, Brad Lips, Colleen Dyble Nick Slepko. Alejandro Antonio Chafuen. Jim Beley, George Ayittey, Akwasi Sarpong, Professor Jean-Pierre, Lehman Tom Palmer!

IMANI has been consistently ranked among the top 10 think tanks in Africa and among the top 100 worldwide, out of a pool of nearly 10,000 organisations by the prestigious University of Pennsylvania, which ranks the world's largest and most prestigious think tank research program. IMANI staff have made regular appearances on the BBC, CBC, Swiss and Swedish National TVs, Austrian National Radio, varied African and Ghanaian media, and have been quoted or published severally in the London Daily Telegraph, The Wall Street Journal, The San Francisco Chronicle, Bangkok Post, The Japan Times, Asian Times, Latin American ,Spanish and Italian and German print and electronic media.

Here are a few milestones by 2006

1. 2005 saw IMANI's profile on world centre stage with respectable presentations, campaigns and research work on four continents. A head of the G8 summit Imani's director, Franklin Cudjoe spoke at the Global Development Summit in the UK and challenged the flawed and dangerous premises of debt cancellation, doubling aid and protectionist policies.

2. IMANI Director Franklin Cudjoe spoke on how the West should help Africa during two services at St. Dunstan´s Anglican Church in Staplehurst, UK. Incidentally, Franklin met with the daughter of Sir Charles Noble Arden Clarke, the last governor of Ghana. She still has fond memories of how Ghana’s first president, Kwame Nkrumah used to pay them visits and how they were amazed at his about turn in ideas.

3. ranklin also made a presentation on trade, debt and aid to MBA students at Writtle University in the UK

4 Franklin carried his campaign on trade, debt and aid throughout Europe- in Italy at the Instituto Bruno Leoni in July 2005 and with fellow Kenyan activist academic June Akinyi Arunga discussing African development issues at the 2005 World Freedom Summit in Germany. Franklin later took part in a think tank panel discussion on practical ways to spread free ideas around the world.

5. In September 2005, Franklin spoke on drug patents and access to essential drugs in Africa at the Nigerian think tank, Institute for Public Policy.

6. Franklin took the campaign to the United States of America in October through November 2005. Numerous presentations were made at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Washington Policy Center, the Discovery Institute, The Emerald City Rotary Club and the Garfield High School, all in Seattle.

7. Bill Gates Sr hosted Franklin Cudjoe who spoke on the foundation’s global health initiatives and the need for to pay attention to the DDT debate in Malaria prevention in Africa

8. Franklin Cudjoe gave the keynote speech at the 2005 Bastiat Prize for Journalism in New York. The other speaker was Bill Emmot, Editor of the Economist Magazine.Franklin’s speech generated a debate over globalization with the President of Tanzania after the former’s adapted speech was published by the Independent Institute. President Benjamin Mkapa personally wrote a rejoinder and Franklin rebutted. The debate can be read at www.independent.org.

9. October 2005.
Franklin spoke on Human Rights and Property Rights at the Atlas Economic Research Foundation in New York as well as gave a toast to freedom at Atlas’ 25th Anniversary Celebrations in New York. Franklin shared panels with Anwar Ibrahim, Prime Minister of Malaysia and Maat Laar, former Prime Minister of Estonia.

10. June 2006..
IMANI Director, Franklin Cudjoe cited in United Kingdom's House of Commons Parliamentary Debate on Corruption- "A member of the House, Mr. Chope, asked, "Does my hon. Friend accept that it cannot be that difficult to get hard data on the extent of corruption when Franklin Cudjoe, the Ghanaian director of the Imani think tank, has asserted that $4,700 is stolen by African Governments from their people every second?"

Read the entire Hansard (verbatim report) debate
http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/cm200506/cmhansrd/cm060616/debtext/60616-0533.htm

I thank all IMANI’s current and previous staff, trustees, board and management. We are grateful to all our supporters, the Ghanaian political establishment for making our work useful and to all Ghanaians for your feedback. To our friends around the world, thank you. More on our 20th anniversary soon.