Title: Africa's Golden Past: A Digital Conference and a Musical Journey

**Article:** A major online event will explore Africa’s powerful medieval empires. The Africa-America Institute (AAI) launches its "State of Education 2026" conference this week. The conference theme is "Following The Gold Road." It focuses on the global influence of West Africa’s historic empires. These are Ghana, Mali, and Songhai. They were major economic and cultural centers from the 8th to the 16th centuries. The event is digital. This allows global participation from educators, students, and the public. Separately, the music platform Afropop Worldwide has released a companion playlist. Titled "Mali Gold," it features music inspired by the region's rich history. The playlist aims to provide a cultural soundtrack to the conference themes. Both projects seek to highlight a period when West Africa was a central part of the global economy.