At this year's Borlaug Dialogue Conference, the AAP co-hosted a session with the Association of African Agricultural Professionals in the Diaspora (AAAPD), NEPAD, International Potato Center, Simplot, and others.

The event featured presentations describing the initial activities of the Alliance for African Partnership as well as presentations on the challenges and opportunities for advancing Africa's food nutrition and security by representatives of NEPAD, AAAPD, African governments, Simplot, Iowa State University, and MSU-including Steve Hanson, Karim Maredia, Thom Jayne and Amy Jamison. The session was part of broader AAP efforts to forge solid foundations for future collaboration among MSU and a wide network of African partner organizations that were represented at the World Food Prize event.  

The Ubuntu and Cultural Heritage event was held in cooperation with the Michigan State University Museum and the Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation. It was part of a week of MSU-South Africa partnership activities in Cape Town that was kicked off with the quilt exhibition: "Ubuntutu, Life Legacies of Love and Action" (quilt tributes to Desmond and Leah Tutu curated by MSU Museum's Marsha MacDowell and Aleia Brown). The event featured a full day of celebrations and conversations about cultural heritage and partnership between South Africa and Michigan State University, designed with the intent of strengthening positive relationships between MSU and our South African partners. During the week, MSU History Professor Dr. Peter Alegi gave a lecture on digital history at the Mayibuye Museum at University of the Western Cape, and Professors Walter Hawthorne and Dean Rehberger also gave remarks.

Because Cultural Heritage Development is one of the priority areas for the MSU Alliance for African Partnership, the MSU African Studies Center invited South African universities (University of the Western Cape, University of Cape Town, Stellenbosch University); South African artists; and museum institutions that focus on cultural heritage to this one-day event to celebrate, discuss, and learn together. The event was held at the Lwandle Migrant Labour Museum in Lwandle Township and at the Nelson Mandela Gateway Museum in Cape Town, South Africa. The panel discussion at Lwandle Township was titled: "Legacies and Future of Cultural Heritage". 

The evening events at the Nelson Mandela Gateway Museum featured three artists who discussed their work and how it is used in cultural dialogue and activism. Artists were: Mr. Lionel Davis, South African Artist and former political prisoner at Robben Island; Ms. Edjohnetta Davis, Quilt artist and U.S. Ambassador from the Women of Color Quilters Network where 1,800 quilt makers from around the world are members; and Ms. Tazneem Wentzel, Artist and Founding Member, Burning Museum Collective. The conversation with the artists was entitled: Art, Experience and Activism. A second panel discussion was entitled: Intergenerational Dialogue: Cultural Heritage Partnership, allowing a platform for youth to express their views in exchange with elders. 

Nearly 100 people attended the entire day of events, including the Educational Officer, Ms.  Bongiwe Qotoyi from the Nelson Mandela Museum in Mthatha, South Africa. The event sparked meaningful conversations and plans for real actions surrounding cultural heritage preservation and international partnership in South Africa.