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Benin Names Spike Lee and Tonya Lewis Lee Ambassadors to African-Americans
BENIN, JUL 24 – The appointment supports Benin's efforts to reconnect over a million descendants of enslaved Africans with their heritage, backed by recent citizenship laws and digital platforms.
- Last week, the government of Benin appointed Spike Lee and Tonya Lewis Lee as thematic ambassadors to African-Americans during their visit to Cotonou.
- This appointment followed Benin's 2023 law granting nationality to descendants of Africans taken in the transatlantic slave trade and the launch of a citizenship application website earlier this year.
- The Lees are tasked with fostering cultural tourism and backing programs that help individuals of African descent worldwide reconnect with their historical, cultural, and spiritual heritage.
- Spike Lee, a filmmaker known for exploring African-American identity, stated his father’s ancestry traces to Cameroon and his mother’s to Sierra Leone, while Tonya Lewis Lee focuses on equity and empowerment.
- The appointments aim to strengthen Benin's ties to the African diaspora and encourage heritage reclamation, reflecting broader West African efforts inspired by Ghana’s 2019 Year of Return campaign.
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The Source |Benin Names Spike Lee And Wife Ambassadors For African-Americans In U.S.
Acclaimed filmmaker Spike Lee and his wife, Tonya Lewis Lee, have been appointed by the government of Benin as thematic ambassadors to African-Americans in the United States. The couple’s new… The post Benin Names Spike Lee And Wife Ambassadors For African-Americans In U.S. appeared first on .
By naming the iconic cinematographer, President Patrice Talon wants to strengthen the link with the Afrodescendant diaspora, thanks to an inedite law and a dedie platform upon return.
The Beninese government is still in the throes of attracting Afro-descendants and facilitating their return to the land of their deported ancestors. Beninese President Patrice Talon appointed on July 23rd the famous American filmmaker and director Spike Lee and his wife Tonya, thematic ambassadors to the Afro-descendant diaspora of the United States. Like the law allowing Afro-descendants to apply for Beninese nationality, this appointment aims …
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