We thank everyone who attended the 2024 Summer Conference on Decolonization, Diaspora, and the African Food System. Your participation made this event a remarkable success.

Our keynote speaker, Professor Adams Bodomo, set the tone with his compelling paper titled "Where is African Agency in the African Diaspora Food Systems?" Professor Bodomo highlighted the critical challenges of decolonizing African food systems without having Africans at the forefront to spearhead initiatives and business strategies that can enable them to control their market.

He emphasized that decolonization does not imply isolation but a demand for respect, collaborations with equal opportunities, and allowing Africans  the ability to set their own priorities. By comparing African diasporas in China and Europe, he also noted how residency dynamics influence Africans' ability to access or control their food markets.

In her welcoming remarks, Dr. Maureen Duru , the founder of the Food Bridge vzw stressed the importance of having open dialogues on difficult issues affecting African diasporas, even with those holding opposing views. She advocated for creating spaces for such discussions, especially in places Africans previously lacked access to. In her closing contributions she  emphasized that the future of food systems in Africa is indigenous, community-driven, and female.

The interactive breakout session, focusing on  "What Do You Understand by Decolonizing the African Food System?" was a highlight of the event, showcasing that people of all ages, education levels, professions, and backgrounds recognize the urgent need for a drastic change in the African food system. All the points raised during the session will be shared soon as part of the final report.

We were honored to have speakers from across the globe, including Nigeria, Ghana, Austria, South Africa, Jamaica, Brazil, Kenya, Germany, Austria, and Belgium. They enriched the conference with their diverse perspectives and research experiences from their countries of origin and also fieldworks in other countries like China, Portugal, Burundi, and Congo.

No discussion on African food would be complete without tasting it. Thanks to Banjul Kitchen and the African Queens, for providing delicious African dishes that added flavor to our event. A special thank you to Dr. Maureen Duru and Dr. Sarah O'Neill for organizing such an impactful event . Once again, we thank  all the speakers and participants for their  invaluable contributions. We look forward to continuing this vital dialogue and making meaningful progress together.