FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
New York, United States | September 2026
Pastor Mark Burns, Founder of Spiritual Diplomats, has been named to the Top 40 African Diaspora Leaders List at the 2026 International Forum on African-Caribbean Leadership (IFAL), held on 24 September at the Marriott Marquis, Broadway, New York, during United Nations General Assembly week. The recognition was conferred during the forum’s Recognitions & Awards presentation, hosted by African Leadership Magazine.
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The listing recognises Pastor Burns’s leadership in interfaith diplomacy and his advocacy for religious freedom on the global stage.
Pastor Burns is the founder of the Harvest Praise & Worship Centre in South Carolina and co-founder of the NOW Television Network. He has convened international interfaith gatherings, including conferences held at the United States Capitol Complex, under the banner of Spiritual Diplomats, an initiative promoting reconciliation and dialogue between faith communities and world leaders.
IFAL is a flagship event of the African Leadership Magazine, convened annually on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly. The forum brings together heads of state, policymakers, investors and private-sector leaders from Africa and the Caribbean to strengthen trans-regional cooperation, trade and investment.
Media Contact
King Richard Igimoh,
Group Editor,
African Leadership Magazine, United Kingdom | Africa
Email: editor@africanleadership.co.uk
Website: www.africanleadershipmagazine.co.uk
