The Ripple Effects of Ministry

In 1988, Sullivan retired from Zion Baptist Church. Sullivan was determined to provide a
model of self-help and empowerment to the people of Africa. He began using his talent
for bringing world leaders together to find solutions to international issues through the
establishment of the International Foundation for Education and Self-Help (IFESH) in
order to establish and maintain programs and activities in the areas of agriculture,
business and economic development, democracy and governance, education and
health. These programs would in turn help governments in sub-Saharan Africa reduce
poverty and unemployment and build civil societies. To further expand human rights and
economic development to all communities, Sullivan created the Global Sullivan
Principles of Social Responsibility in 1997. In 1999, the Global Sullivan Principles were
issued at the United Nations. This expanded code calls for multinational companies to
take an active role in the advancement of human rights and social justice. Then United
Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan had this to say about Sullivan's contributions:
It shows how much one individual can do to change lives and societies for the better ...
He was known and respected throughout the world for the bold and innovative role he
played in the global campaign to dismantle the system of apartheid in South Africa.
Leon H. Sullivan Summit
Sullivan organized the first Summit in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire in 1991 as a result of a
number of requests and conversations he had with African leaders seeking an honest
dialog among and between leaders of African countries and government officials and
leaders from developed countries. Since then, the biennial Leon H. Sullivan Summit has
brought together the world's political and business leaders, delegates representing
national and international civil and multinational organizations, and members of
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