Sudanese-British NBA star Luol Deng's foundation will be holding the first South Sudan Unite event in Washington, DC on August 29. The Miami Heat small forward, who recently lead Team Africa at the NBA's first game on the Continent, hopes to rally his fellow South Sudanese in the Diaspora to unite through arts and culture.

"This is very important to me, because the time is now to focus on our oneness and identity as a people, rather than our differences," Deng states. “As a people, if we can have the courage to represent the change we want to see, it means we also have the power to steer our nation back on the right track. We cannot allow what started as political conflict between a few people to take more lives and lead to more senseless suffering, robbing us of the country we dreamt of when we voted for and gained independence on July 9th, 2011."

The Saturday event will include live music from several South Sudanese artists — including ruka-reggae singer Dynamq, 'afro-ROSS' & soukous vocalist Sultan Clintone, rapper Baf Jay, Meve Alange, Mer, and spoken word poet Bigoa Choul — a fashion show, and a workshop for the foundation's Peace Ambassadors initiative. Buy your tickets at the link below.

On Sunday, South Sudan Unite, Luol Deng and Okayafrica will host an Afrobeats Day Party featuring music by DJ Biggie Deng and DJ Stiletto at Mission in Dupont Circle. Make sure to RSVP for the party here and see more info in the flyer below.

>>>Purchase Tickets To South Sudan Unite [Saturday, August 29]

>>>RSVP For Luol Deng x Okayafrica's Afrobeats Party [Sunday, August 30]

South Sudan Unite will take place at the Lisner Auditorium at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., on Saturday, August 29 (6:30pm). For updates, head to the South Sudan Unite Facebook page.