One of Africa’s largest ethnic groups – the Fulani community – will host its first-ever North American assembly in the Cincinnati region on April 27, 2019 with the Tabital Pulaaku Americas International Meeting. The event is expected to draw more than 600 international attendees to generate awareness about the Fulani culture, and is free and open to the public.

Performances by Fulani entertainers, authentic foods and various speakers and presentations will highlight the Tabital Pulaaku Americas International Meeting. Programming for the event will be held at the Clarion Hotel – Cincinnati North at 3855 Hauck Road beginning at 9 a.m. on Saturday, April 27.

Special guests at the event include:
  • Baaba Maal and Mansoor Seck of Dande Lenol
    (Fulani artists whose Grammy Award-winning music was featured in “Black Panther”)
     
  • Jason Dunn, Group Vice President of Diversity Sales and Inclusion, Cincinnati USA CVB
     
  • Steve Driehaus, Executive Director of Cincinnati Compass
     
  • Judge Marilyn Zayas-Davis, Hamilton County Court of Appeals
     
  • Dr. Bernard Lenchitz, Vice President of the UC Health Primary Care Network
     
  • Dolores Lindsay, CEO of The Health Care Connection

“Hosting this inaugural gathering in the Cincinnati region is an invaluable opportunity to showcase the local Fulani community, our traditions and our contributions to the cultural diversity of the Tri-State area and the U.S. as a whole,” said Abdourahmane (Abda) Tall, organizer of the Tabital Pulaaku Americas International Meeting. “Through this event, we are also empowering our Fulani community to be more engaged and integrated in the Cincinnati region.”

More than 4,000 Fulani people call the Cincinnati region home, including many immigrants from Mauritania, Senegal, Niger, Chad, Guinea, Cameroon and many other countries. Together, the Fulanis share the Fula language, history and culture.

Networks of associations in Africa, Europe and, most recently, North America support the Tabital Pulaaku organization, whose main objective is to promote the integration and awareness of Fulani communities through cultural development programs. At the Tabital Pulaaku Americas International Meeting, the North American cohort aims to establish a roadmap for the future of the organization while also introducing the Fulani culture to the Cincinnati region.

“Through the CVB’s Diversity Sales and Inclusion department, we are laser-focused on broadening our efforts to bring more events to Cincinnati that reflect the mix of cultures represented in our region,” said Julie Calvert, President and CEO of the Cincinnati USA Convention & Visitors Bureau. “The Tabital Pulaaku Americas International Meeting is one strong example of our commitment to making Cincinnati a diverse destination that is welcoming to all.”


About the Cincinnati USA Convention & Visitors Bureau
The Cincinnati USA Convention & Visitors Bureau is a sales, marketing and service organization whose primary responsibility is to positively impact Hamilton County's and the City of Cincinnati's economy through convention, trade show and visitor expenditures. The travel and tourism industry traditionally has been a $5.3 billion industry in Cincinnati USA, employing more than 80,000 people in a variety of fields and bringing 26.6 million visitors to the region annually. Visit www.cincyusa.com for more information.