His Majesty Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Asantehene of the Ashanti Kingdom, has led the Millennium Excellence Foundation’s flagship celebration of African and diaspora achievement in Washington, D.C., with Golden Cement Ghana Limited serving as headline sponsor.

The Millennium Excellence Week America 2026, held across Washington, D.C., Arlington, National Harbor and Bowie, Maryland, marked the first time the Millennium Excellence Foundation took its flagship celebration beyond Africa.

The week brought together leaders and personalities from business, politics, academia, sports and the African diaspora.

The programme featured the Otumfuo Invitational at the historic Army Navy Country Club in Arlington, a Royal Guest Lecture at Howard University, an Africa Business and Investment Summit at MGM National Harbor and engagements at Bowie State University.

The activities were designed to promote African excellence, investment, education and stronger connections between Ghana and the diaspora.

The centrepiece of the week was the Millennium Excellence Awards Gala at the Warner Theatre, where Otumfuo Osei Tutu II and Her Royal Highness Lady Julia, Queen Consort, personally conferred honours on distinguished laureates.

Among those honoured were the late Reginald F. Lewis, the Baltimore-born financier who built the first Black-owned billion-dollar company in the United States, and Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who received the Global Transformation and Good Governance Prize for his state’s development trajectory and advocacy for diaspora investment in African infrastructure.

Golden Cement Ghana Limited, a cement manufacturer based at Ningo Prampram, said its support for the initiative was motivated by its commitment to Ghana’s reputation, people and future.

“For Golden Cement Ghana Limited, supporting this initiative is an investment in Ghana’s reputation, people and future. We are proud to stand with the Millennium Excellence Foundation and His Majesty Otumfuo Osei Tutu II in celebrating individuals whose achievements have strengthened communities and inspired generations,” the company said.

Golden Cement added that, as a Ghanaian manufacturer with an African ambition, it was committed not only to building enduring physical structures but also to supporting institutions and individuals contributing to national development.

The company said it believed Ghana’s future must be built on “excellence, innovation, integrity and partnerships” that connect the country to Africa and the global diaspora.

The partnership between Golden Cement and the Millennium Excellence Foundation also provides a symbolic link between physical development and the celebration of African achievement, with the cement manufacturer describing its role as supporting the foundations upon which Ghana’s future can be built.

Millennium Excellence Week America 2026 is expected to further strengthen Ghana’s visibility in the United States while creating opportunities for investment, cultural exchange and engagement between African leaders, businesses and the diaspora.