4^th Annual Summit on Infancy, Child Nutrition & Development November 09-10, 2018 Atlanta, Georgia, USA

Atlanta is the capital city in the U.S. state of Georgia, with an estimated 2015 population of 463,878. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, home to 5,522,942 people and the ninth largest metropolitan area in the United States. Atlanta was established in 1837 at the intersection of two railroad lines, and the city rose from the ashes of the Civil War to become a national center of commerce.

Atlanta is considered an "alpha-" or "world city", ranking 36^th among world cities and 8th in the nation with a gross domestic product of $270 billion. Atlanta's economy is considered diverse, with dominant sectors including logistics, professional and business services, media operations, and information technology. Topographically, Atlanta is marked by rolling hills and dense tree coverage. Revitalization of Atlanta's neighborhoods, initially spurred by the 1996 Olympics, has intensified in the 21^st century, altering the city's demographics, politics, and culture.

Atlanta attained international prominence. Atlanta is the primary transportation hub of the Southeastern United States, via highway, railroad, and air, with Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport being the world's busiest airport since 1998.

City Highlights:

There are lots of things to see and do in Atlanta, from the arts to sports, history, and other entertainment. Highlights are the World of Coca-Cola, the Georgia Aquarium, and numerous museums. More details shown beow.

1.   Martin Luther king Jr National Historic Site:

Two blocks on Auburn Avenue are now protected as a National Historic Site. They include the birthplace of the civil rights campaigner Martin Luther King Jr at 501 Auburn Avenue, which dates from 1895, and the Ebenezer Baptist Church at 407-413 Auburn Avenue, in which he and his father were ministers. Immediately adjoining, in the Freedom Hall Complex, is his grave.

2.   Atlanta History Center:

The Atlanta History Center is a large complex that comprises the Atlanta History Museum, Centennial Olympic Games Museum, Swan House, Smith Family Farm, and the Kenan Research Center, along with a number of historic gardens.

3.   The Fox Theatre:

The Fox Theatre was built in the 1920s as the Yaarab Temple Shrine Mosque, with an extremely posh Arabian-themed design. It has had a varied history, with problems during the Great Depression, but has always been a much loved landmark building since its construction. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

4.   World of Coca-Cola:

In 1886 a chemist named Dr John Pemberton devised a syrup designed to relieve headaches. A friend of his mixed the glutinous liquid with water and carbonic acid, and the result of the mixture soon became the world's most popular soft drink. 

5.   Piedmont Park:

Located just a short distance northeast of downtown Atlanta, Piedmont Park is the oldest and largest park in the Atlanta metro region. The grounds were originally part of the Battle at Peachtree Creek during the Civil War.

6.   Atlanta Botanical Garden:

The Atlanta Botanical Garden offers a lovely space with a variety of well laid out gardens. The idea for the garden was presented in the early 1970s and by the early 1980s the garden saw its first visitors. Over the decades since it opened the complex has gradually expanded with new gardens, new features, and new programs.

7.   Oakland Cemetery:

The Historic Oakland Cemetery in Atlanta began as six acres in 1850. It was originally designed as a garden cemetery. Over the years, particularly during the time of the Civil War, the site grew, accommodating those killed on the battlefield.

8.   Fernbank Museum of Natural History:

Opened in 1992, the Fernbank Museum of Natural History portrays the natural history of Georgia as well as technical and scientific phenomena with the aid of modern techniques. Some of the most eye catching exhibits at the museum are the huge dinosaur statues at the entrance and the dinosaur skeletons in the Great Hall.

     9.   Michael C Carlos Museum:

The Michael C Carlos Museum of Emory University has one of the largest collections of ancient art in the Southeast, with objects from ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome, the Near East, and the ancient Americas.

    10.  Stone Mountain Park:

16 miles east of the city centre is Stone Mountain Park, commemorating the soldiers of the southern states who fell in the Civil War. In the centre of the park is Stone Mountain, an 863 foot high mass of exposed granite with a circumference of 5 miles. On the east flank of the hill is an equestrian relief, hewn from the rock between 1923 and 1970, depicting the three Confederate leaders, President Jefferson Davis and his two generals, Stonewall Jackson and Robert E. Lee. 

    11.  Georgia Aquarium:

The Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta features a wide variety of marine life and some very interesting and interactive activities for visitors. The aquarium is home to some of the largest creatures in the ocean including whale sharks, the largest fish in the sea. One unique option offered by the Georgia Aquarium is the opportunity to dive or snorkel in the tank with the sharks.