NEWS RELEASEFor Release: ImmediatelyContact: Oshunbumi FernandezODUNDE Inc.Tel: 212-732-8510Email: odundeceo@gmail.com

Jennifer ChappleMillennium 3 ManagementTel: 215-751-0140Email: jchapple@m3mpr.com

Odunde Hosts 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil Business Symposium

As part of the 37th Annual Odunde Festival, Area Business Leaders Learn Opportunities to Engage in 2014 World Cup

Philadelphia, Pa. June 8, 2012 -The organizers of the ODUNDE African and African-American Festival, an annual cultural event whose programs reach audiences of more than 500,000 persons, recently hosted a panel presentation for His Excellency Mauro Vieira, the Brazilian ambassador to the United States, who discussed investment, business and tourism opportunities for the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 Summer Olympics, both of which are scheduled to be held in Brazil.

This year’s festival, Odunde’s 37th annual, will focus on the culture and economy of Brazil, the world’s fifth largest country and the home of one of the globe’s fastest-growing economies. With approximately 190 million inhabitants, Brazil has the largest population of people who are of African descent, outside of the African continent, and is second to Nigeria. According to the 2010 census done by the country’s Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica (IBGE) (www.igbe.gov.br), persons of African descent are currently in the majority, for the first time in the nation’s history, constituting 50.7 percent of total population. Of this population, an estimated 500,000 people still practice a form of the Yoruba religion, which originated in West Africa. Brazil has export relationships with approximately 400 U.S. firms, including several located in the Greater Philadelphia area.

Over the past year, Odunde’s organizers have been meeting with representatives from the City of Philadelphia and the Mayor’s Commission on African and Caribbean Immigrant Affairs, the City’s Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, Select Greater Philadelphia and the Brazilian government, to produce a rare week-long cultural and economic exposure to Brazil.

ODUNDE Origin

ODUNDE has gained a national reputation as one of Philadelphia's brightest cultural jewels. The word ODUNDE originates with the Yoruba people of Nigeria, West Africa, and means "Happy New Year.”

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Photo 1

Caption 1More than 200 area business and education leaders were in attendance at the recent 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil Business Symposium, hosted as part of the 37 th Annual Odunde Festival, an African and African-American cultural event whose programs reach audiences of more than 500,000 persons. Attendees heard from His Excellency Mauro Vieira, the ambassador to the United States from Brazil, as he discussed investment, business and tourism opportunities for the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 Summer Olympics, both of which are scheduled to be held in Brazil.

Photo 2

Caption 2Ney Campello (pictured at the podium), secretary of the Bahia Government, Department for Special Affairs of the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil, addresses a crowd of more than 200 local and international business and education leaders, at a recent symposium hosted by organizers of the 37th Annual Odunde Festival. Brazil has the largest population of people who are of African descent, outside of the African continent, and is second to Nigeria. An estimated 500,000 people still practice a form of the Yoruba religion, which originated in West Africa and is the root of the Odunde Festival.

Photo 3

Caption 3Organizers and supporters of the 37th Annual Odunde Festival pose with several ambassadors and representatives from Brazil, as well as, members of the local business community at the recent 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil Business Symposium. Pictured with Odunde founder Lois Fernandez (center, seated) are Philadelphia City Councilman David Oh (third from left); City Representative Melanie Johnson (seventh from left); Stanley Straughter, chairman, Mayor’s Commission on African and Caribbean Immigrant Affairs, City of Philadelphia (eighth from right); City Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell (seventh from right); Odunde President Oshunbumi Fernandez (directly behind Blackwell); His Excellency Mauro Vieira, ambassador to the United States from Brazil (fifth from right); and Ney Campello, secretary of the Bahia Government, Department for Special Affairs of the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil (fourth from right).