“Honor Africa Night” Unites Local and Global Community

Northern Colorado is invited to celebrate the world’s third largest continent during “Honor Africa Night” at the Global Village Museum of Arts and Cultures. In collaboration with local experts, researchers, collectors, and international travelers, the Museum opens a stunning exhibit with an exceptional program series.

Honor Africa Night on Friday, Feb. 2, debuts Colors of East Africa in the Museum’s Main Gallery with a VIP and Members-Only Reception from 4-6 pm. Free admission for the public follows from 6-9 pm during Fort Collins Gallery Walk.

Over 40 collectors and international travelers have loaned art and artifacts for the exhibit at the Museum, known as a bridge between Northern Colorado and the global community. The eclectic and educational display features an array of unique items ranging from a loin cloth fashioned from fish vertebrae to a Maasai shield made from the hide of a giraffe.

“Honor Africa Night is a salute to the importance and beauty of Africa,” said Jean Lehman, curator and Museum board member. “Colors of East Africa focuses on eight countries along the Great Rift Valley. Honor Africa Night is about respect and recognition, with all residents of the continent appreciated and valued.”

The Museum’s East African Program Series kicks off Saturday, Feb. 10, with experts and researchers from Colorado State University. From 1-3 pm, Dr. Kathleen Galvin, Director of The Africa Center, and David Swift, Senior Research Scientist with the Natural Resource Ecology Center, explore South Turkana’s ecosystem and Kenya’s conservancies. Admission is $5/person and free for Museum members.

An impressive lineup of speakers continues on the second Saturday of March (Kenya and Uganda), April (Rwanda and Tanzania), and May (Tanzania and Ethiopia). For the full schedule and topics, visit globalvillagemuseum.org or call 970.222.4600.

The Global Village Museum is located at 200 West Mountain Avenue. Museum hours are 11-5 pm Tuesday through Saturday.