CEANA Press Release

WASHINGTON, D.C. February 20, 2005 -- The 2005 CEANA Convention returns to the Nation's Capital, Washington D.C. and Volta Club, Inc. is delighted to be your host once again! The theme for the convention is INVESTMENT AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: CRITICAL ISSUES ACROSS EWELAND.

The Volta Club is the only chapter to host the CEANA Convention three times. Many of you may recall your visit to Washington, DC for the 1998 CEANA Convention. It was quite a memorable one! The Volta Club, in conjunction with all Ewes in the Washington Metropolitan area, will be welcoming all Ewe Citizens and lovers of the Ewe Culture in North America and around the world to the 12th Annual CEANA Convention, scheduled to take place on Labor Day Weekend 2005. The whole weekend will be full of activities. It is also during this period that delegates or representatives from member organizations and Executive Committee (Secretariat) of CEANA hold their annual meeting to deliberate and vote on issues.

Hotel Accommodation

Information on Hotel accommadation will be made available as soon as negotiations are completed - so pleased stay tuned for this very important information.

Convention Programs

The Convention programs will begin on Friday, September 2, 2005 and end on Sunday, September 4, 2005. The program for the convention is as follows:

1) Friday - Meeting of the Executive Council (Secretariat) and delegates from member organizations known as the Council of Representatives (COR). The meeting is generally referred to as "COR Meeting."

2) Saturday (Daytime) - The General Membership meeting is open to all Convention attendees, individuals from member organizations, delegates and the CEANA Secretariat. This time, there will be an afternoon Luncheon, featuring the special guest speakers.

3) Saturday (Evening) - An evening of Dinner Dance/Banquet at an elegant hotel in suburban Washington D.C., in an atmosphere of pomp, and cultural performances. In order to promote Ewe culture, we encourage all people to come dressed in their traditional attires. There will be prizes for the best dressed Man and Woman.

4) Sunday - An all-day picnic with durbar, featuring cultural dances, variety of delicious ethnic cuisines, various games and lots of other forms of entertainment.

This year's Convention will be a blast! There will be luxury accommodation and feeding for all. You will be joined by Ewes from all over North America, Europe and Africa. You will meet old school mates and childhood friends. You will join the procession of chiefs from Eweland and chat with your country's Ambassador to the United States, rub shoulders with investment bankers, the staff of the World Bank and other dignatories. Above all, you will join in deliberations on matters affecting Eweland. This is one convention you will not forget. Make it a point to attend the 12th annual CEANA Convention. Don't miss out!

Airports There are two airports located about 14 miles away from the selected Convention Hotel. The airports are the Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) and the Reagan National (DCA) Airport. Groups and individuals who are planning to attend the 2005 CEANA Convention are advised to use the Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD).

The Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI) is not conveniently located. It is about sixty (60) miles away from the Convention Hotel site.

World Class Hospitality Awaits You Volta Club and Washington D.C. know what it takes to host a great convention. We also have what it takes to treat our guests and make them feel special. We have the track record! We have the proof! You know it. So, trust us. We get better each time. We guarantee you one of the best weekends in your life. As never before, Volta Club has a special Kick-Off Dinner on Thursday, September 1, 2005 for early arrivers. Your visit to the Nation's Capital should be an excitement for you and your families. You will have the opportunity to visit places of interest in Washington. Therefore, we urge you to arrive early so that you can visit these very interesting places.

Some Tourist Attractions to visit in Washington D.C · The Whitehouse · The US Capitol Hill (Congress Building) · The Spy Museum · The Aerospace Museum · The US Marine Museum · Mt. Vernon (home of George Washington) · The Arlington Cemetery · The Vietnam Memorial .. and lots of other interesting places.

Volta Club .Who We Are Volta Club, Inc. was founded and incorporated in 1984 in Washington D.C. It is a founding member organization of the Council of Ewe Associations of North America (CEANA) and the Council Of Ghanaian Associations (COGA) in the Washington D.C. Metropolitan Area. Volta Club embraces the ideologies of CEANA and COGA. The aims and objectives of Volta Club are to establish a vibrant Ewe Community in the Washington D.C. area, to assist in the Socio-Economic development of the Eweland and to support its members in times of need, grief, joy, and happiness.

What is CEANA ? The Council of Ewe Associations of North America (CEANA) is the umbrella organization representing thirteen Ewe Associations in the United States and Canada. It is a Not-for-Profit, Non-Political, Socio-Economic, and Cultural organization. The organization was initially formed in July 1984 under the name United Volta Organization (UVO) that was later reconstituted under the current name - CEANA- in September 1995.

CEANA acts as an umbrella and a guiding body for the various associations to:

i. Undertake and/or assist in economic development of the Eweland.

ii. Promote contact with all Ewes in North America to harness their intellectual, social, economic, and cultural talents for the development of Eweland.

Achievements: The achievements of CEANA include:

1. Establishment of scholarship program for qualified SSS students in the Eweland

2. Acquisition and shipment of approximately $3.4 million worth of medical equipments to hospitals in the Volta Region and the Republic of Togo.

3. Donation of electro-cardiogram and large quantities of hospital supplies to the Cardiology Center at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital.

4. Establishment and maintenance of a CEANA website - www.ceanaonline.com

5. Successfully held 11 Annual Conventions in various cities in the United States and Canada.

Future Plans: Some of the future plans of CEANA include:

§ Holding a CEANA Convention at Ho, Ghana in 2007

§ Establishing an Advocacy group for Eweland

§ Making CEANA a Non Governmental Organization (NGO) in Eweland

§ Enhancing and promoting Ewe culture in North America so as to attract tourists to the Eweland.

Current CEANA Member Associations are: