There are a number of interesting conferences coming up, including the 2010 IABC Africa conference, the Wits-hosted Recent Elections and the Media in Africa conference, which launches today, as well as the Wits Power Reporting conference. All three plan on imparting valuable information for the experienced as well as young entrants to the various sectors of the media industry. The IABC Africa conference, taking place 14-15 October in SA, will see the gathering of business communication professionals discussing the latest trends in the industry. The Recent Elections and the Media in Africa conference, kicking off this morning, tackles very pertinent issues that many countries in Africa face; the most rampant abuse experienced is that of repression and subversion of media during the build-up to elections, which compromises a free and fair election process. Speakers at the conference are from various regions in Africa, providing a broad perspective on issues the continent's media face during election times. I'll be attending the IABC Africa conference for the first time and am excited to see what new developments have sprung up in recent times. Congratulations to South Africa's Judge Mervyn King, who will receive the 2010 International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) Africa Excellence in Communication Leadership (EXCEL) Award at the event. App developers interested in helping with the achievement of the eight Millennium Development Goals, look out for the World Bank 'Apps for Development' competition, which recently opened for entries. Do some good, and win some recognition.

Cheers, Sindy Peters, Africa editor
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