Letter from the President

Today, we celebrate the contribution of early African writers dating back to the 9th century. A new breeze of hope is blowing on the horizon. This forgotten legacy and contribution will definitely be a source for changing the lives of millions of people around the world.

This moment and this time are for celebration, with gratitude to those outstanding men and women who have achieved great success in the many different fields of endeavor. Not to say the least, their works if preserved are expected to profoundly alter and inspire people of different communities and change the long views of African history.

I am so grateful to be here amongst you today. Yes, indeed we are rewriting history! I am convinced that a new light of hope, pride and dignity has been lit. Together as partners in the preservation and restoration of these long forgotten libraries, we will positively invest not only in restoration of the books but also in the restoration of families and human values for generation to come. We want to thank you for putting your trust and confidence which inspires us to work tirelessly on bringing these truths forward.

The goals envisioned by Timbuktu Educational Foundation certainly has created an overwhelming enthusiasm and interest not only here but also around the world. Please continue to support us with your skills, guidance and resources to make this project a continued success.

Biography

Musa Bala Balde traces his ancestry to Hamdallah, an area in the ancient Empire of Massina, which is present day Mali. He is directly descended from Shakh Ahmadu, the founder of the caliphate of Massina. Balde spent his growing years between Europe and Africa, being educated in both academic structures. He came to the United States in 1980 to further his education, and worked as a professor of Portuguese language in the Berlitz Institute of language (San Francisco). He has also held various positions in project and community development, office administration, marketing & sales and computer operations.

He is the founder of the Timbuktu Educational Foundation (TEF) and it's President and CEO. During the past few years, Balde has made several trips to Mali to investigate the conditions of the manuscripts of Timbuktu. It was during one of those trips that TEF was able to gain legal rights of custodianship of these historical documents from the government of Mali and the official authority of the city of Timbuktu.

Balde is the CEO/Director of Kifayah Foundation Inc., a non-profit organization serving the diverse needs of the predominantly immigrant and indigenous Muslim population of the city of Alameda, CA. As Director of Kifayah Foundation, Balde was instrumental in developing, organizing and implementing various community awareness/education programs. He teaches the Arabic language and Islamic sciences for the adults as well as the children in the area. As spokesperson for the community in Alameda, he is responsible for bridging cultural understanding between his constituent and the general public through the local media, as well as other venues such as open, lecture presentations in schools, universities and different community centers and churches. Mr. Balde's many faceted role includes an ability to effectively handle culturally sensitive issues, and evaluate complex interrelationships through individual, family or group counseling. He currently serves as Imam of Islamic Center of Alameda, a position of community leadership he has actively held since 1996.

He is fluent speaker of seven languages. He received his degree in International Relations with an emphasis on Diplomacy and International Business in the United States. He has attended Universidade de Santa Maria in Lisbon, Portugal where he majored in Political Science.