International African Friends of Abyssinia International African Friends of Abyssinia The International African Friends of Abyssinia (IAFA), also known as the International African Friends of Ethiopia, was an organisation established in London, England, in 1935 to protest against Italian aggression against Abyssinia (see Second Italo-Ethiopian War). Its membership was composed of many important Pan-African figures, several of whom later formed the International African Service Bureau. IAFA's first public meeting was held on 23 July 1935, with another public meeting taking place on Sunday, 28 July at Memorial Hall in Farringdon Street, London, and was widely reported in newspapers. Throughout the summer of 1935, the IAFA
SS Abyssinia days to reach Vancouver from Yokohama, arriving there on 13 June 1887, establishing a new trans-Pacific record. "Abyssinia's" freight shipment of silk and tea was transferred to rail, arriving in New York (via Montreal) on 21 June, and loaded onto another ship arriving in London on 29 June. "Abyssinia" was returned to Guion when Canadian Pacific took delivery on the three new "Empress" liners. Guion placed "Abyssinia" back on the Liverpool-Queenstown-New York route. Her first eastbound return trip cleared New York on 13 December with 57 passengers and 88 crew with various cargo including cotton. At 12:40 pm on 18