At our annual Nashville dinner, held May 8, World Christian Broadcasting hosted Marc Ravalomanana, President of the Republic of Madagascar.  President Ravalomanana and his wife, along with Malagasy Ambassador to the U.S. Jocelyn Radifera and his wife, visited our programming center in Franklin the morning before speaking for our dinner.

While in Nashville, President Ravalomanana also spoke at a Lipscomb University convocation, then attended a luncheon at Lipscomb where he spoke to local dignitaries including the mayor of Nashville, Karl Dean, as well as political and business leaders.  To this group he outlined needs of the nation and people of Madagascar and solicited help for his country from the business community of Tennessee.

To the staff of World Christian and to the 700+ gathered for our annual dinner, President Ravalomanana reaffirmed his enthusiastic support for the new Indian Ocean site that will be of benefit to the citizens of Madagascar.  Charles Caudill, President of World Christian Broadcasting, said, “World Christian Broadcasting will be a conduit for education and health information for his country as well as the whole of Africa.  Many millions of people will be able to hear about Christ for the first time.  We’re honored that he came to Nashville.”

Earl Young, president of the U.S.-Madagascar Business Council, added, “Since His Excellency President Marc Ravalomanana took office in 2002, he has actively been pursuing the objectives set forth in the Madagascar Action Plan, which designates the private sector as central to the achievement of the plan’s goals.  He has set out to reduce poverty, increase literacy, and since 2005, has seen steadily raising GDP growth rates.”

Pictures of the dinner will be added to this website soon.