Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf drawing attention in Liberian political circles

(Philadelphia, Pa April 21, 2005): Mrs. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the Unity Party's Presidential candidate in the October 2005 Liberian elections, has been drawing considerable attention in Liberian political circles in the United States since she arrived here to serve as keynote speaker at the All Liberia National Conference in Columbia, Maryland.

The candor with which she has been laying out her vision for Liberia has rejuvenated her political base, and is drawing an emerging
non-partisan support among Liberians at home and abroad.

Speaking to a crowd of well wishers and supporters recently at a town hall meeting organized by the Liberian Community Association of Staten Island, in New York, Mrs. Sirleaf said:"Our agenda is very clear: we'd like to see a renewed Liberia. We'd like to see our country start again and together we can do it!"

Mrs. Sirleaf will be bringing that message of hope and renewal when she addresses another town hall meeting, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on Saturday April 22, 2005 at 12:00 at the Christ Assembly Lutheran Church.

The Saturday event is spearheaded by the Philadelphia-based non-partisan support group, Liberians for Ellen (LIFE), and has created considerable interest among Liberians as well as others interested in the politics of Liberia. The organizers are expecting record crowds. There has been a sharp increase in inquiry about both the town hall meeting and the fundraising dinner scheduled to take place on the same evening.

Mrs. Sirleaf, a leading contender in the October elections has met with Liberians in a number of states including Maryland, New York and New Jersey. She is scheduled to travel to Minnesota for a similar program organized in her honor by Liberians on Sunday, April 23, 2005.

The Chairman of LIFE, Mr. Amara Konneh said that his group is "very excited at the steady progress made in a relatively short period of time," adding, "I believe, the emerging non-partisan support for Mrs. Sirleaf, is the beginning of the unfolding of a bigger picture on the political landscape of Liberia."

The last leg of Mrs Sirleaf's US tour will take her to California.

Mrs. Sirleaf was selected last month in Liberia as the Unity Party's candidate for the upcoming Presidential elections in October 2005.