Haiti: Culture A Vehicle for Reconstruction

From UNESCO, just sharing. Enjoy!
Comment and Discuss: Does cultural heritage or intangible heritage stimulate sustainable economic development in Africa and the African Diaspora?

Interregional Philosophical Dialogue between Africa and the Americas – “Africa and its Diaspora”

Interregional Philosophical Dialogue between Africa and the Americas – “Africa and its Diaspora”

The conference will bring together philosophers from throughout Africa, its diasporas, and the Americas to address contemporary challenges. 
It is organized in the framework of the celebration of the International Year for People of African Descent (2011) proclaimed by the UN General Assembly at its 64th session and benefits from ISESCO’s financial support.

The dialogue between philosophers from Africa and the Americas – North America, and Latin America and the Caribbean – around the theme “Africa and its Diaspora” is founded on a strong conviction: the very rich intercultural exchanges between the regions have given birth to a quintessence of intellectual wealth. Such wealth is embodied by the very valuable and insightful philosophical and theoretical debates on the meaning of “African Philosophy”, “African-American Philosophy” and “Caribbean/Latin Philosophy”. 

For further information visit UNESCO Cultural Events Calendar

ENvasa Media and Publications: In Search of My Black Aesthetic

I do have a rather small concern when it comes to Black Aesthetics, I am of African descent and all people around are predominantly of African descent and yet the literature that has been presented to me through life have not been those that have celebrated Black Aesthetics. I am convinced that most of the people that I am close to (my friends and family) are indeed beautiful. I know that I am beautiful I am one of the most beautiful people on Earth. And yet... How do I describe my beauty? How do I explain fully what I see in the mirror and see in others? I think the answer lies in the way I will bring forth my characters. Before I seek to bring them forth from my mind I must look deeply at myself AND I must describe bit by bit the beauty I see in me. I have only read a small section of books by Black people, this is not my fault but in going forward I must make it a part of my life to read about myself and the people that I look like and those that look like me. I find that in my own life I think of people, particularly shades of brown in turns of food or candy or some sweetness, there is dark chocolate, milk chocolate, caramel, honey and yet that seems inadequate maybe should use word yes I should use another phrase those words are good they are what comes naturally they also can be and will be worked on. Black Aesthetics exist in degrees and variations there is a mixture and smooth combination that always creates a unique beauty and once I master the ability to relate the beauty that I see and feel with words I shall be truly grateful.

Project of Great Hope and the Ngambe-Tikar people of Cameroon

Project of Great Hope is based on TechCeFaCos’ Humanitarian Program aimed at providing and making available basic human needs like water, food and shelter; as well children growth as the fountain of life and base for future generation.

It’s all became behind the aim of ‘Holidays for Hope’-giving lasting hope on a special day of December for homeless and underprivileged kids of all abilities…as we of TechCeFaCos NGO Cameroon together with Dreams for Kids US, we organized and undertaken a mission to Ngambe-Tikar where we came cross bunches of great needy people who needs our help! Our journey was not all that easy to before coming across this people.

The basic issues here from our observation and inquire was that of health and education! Health issues resulting from Polio, Schistosomiasis and Intestinal Helminthiasis (poor sanitation), Cholera (drinking water) and STDs (no sex education) infections are several, so lots of disable and high death rate in children. Illiteracy is still very high in this community, as 75% are primary school dropped outs due to lack/inefficient basic academy needs!

Our vision is to empower the young generation which is the tomorrow leaders through provision of basic needs good hygiene, education, shelter  and water. We are looking forward to uplift the community from the poverty level which will have great impact of the economy through motivating them by providing the basic needs.

You can assist the Ngamber-Tikar by making a donation or volunteering your time visit  the TecheFaCos NGO or the learn more about TecheCeFaCos NGO, the Ngambe-Tikar and Cameroon visit the Project of Great Hope Blog

Volunteering Show You Care

I am a United Nations Online Volunteer and I am encouraging others to do the same. For further information please visit UNV Online Volunteering.

I firmly believe that every community needs people willing to volunteer their time and share their talents to assist in the development of such communities. You need not have to give large donations or travel around the world to help. Volunteer your time, energy and share your talents to help improve the lives of our brothers and sisters the world over.

Spotlight on UN Millennium Development Goals

United Nations Development Goals

Beyond the news- Cote d' I voire

This is what  you have probably heard: 

Ivory Coast faces many hurdles to peace

The prolonged fall of Laurent Gbagbo continued Wednesday, casting a pall over Abidjan, a city that’s been ground to a halt by nearly a week of urban warfare.

Two efforts by forces loyal to the internationally recognized president Alassane Ouattara to storm a bunker under the presidential palace where Gbagbo is reported to be hiding with his wife and family failed to dislodge the defiant former leader who refuses to step aside.

The crisis that has gripped Ivory Coast since its election in November has seen the resurgence of heavily armed militias and ethnic violence in a country already long divided between north and south. The economy is near collapse and both sides of the conflict have been accused of horrific human rights violations. Reports suggest both sides have armed notoriously hard-to-control militias and recruited civilian fighters and mercenaries. from The Toronto Star

AND THIS IS THE TRUTH BEHIND THE NEWS: 

New African Magazine

January 2008 archived edition

Focus

CFA How France lives off Francophone Africa via the CFA franc Professor Mamadou Koulibaly, Speaker of the Ivorian National Assembly and Professor of Economics, sheds light on the economic devastation caused to the African member states of the CFA (Communauté  Financière d’Afrique – [French Community of Africa]) zone through their continued link to the French currency – the Franc – in the past and today to the euro. In this informative interview with New African’s Ruth Tete and Soh Taadhieu, Professor Koulibaly does not mince his words as he calls for a total split and the creation of an independent currency free of colonial baggage. Question: Could you explain to our readers, what are the principle mechanisms of the CFA Franc Zone? Answer: The CFA franc region represents a state-controlled zone of cooperation with, interestingly, the levers of control based in Paris, from where the priority is the interests of France. The satellite states that are members of this zone are dispersed in West and Central Africa. The operational logic driving the functioning of this zone brings to mind a similarity with the way the Eastern European states were linked during the Cold War to the former Soviet bloc through the Warsaw Pact. The principals of monetary cooperation between France and the member states of the CFA zone were formulated in the 1960s in a colonial pact which was reviewed in the monetary cooperation convention of 23 November 1972 between the member states of the Banque des Etats de l’Afrique Centrale (BEAC) (Bank of Central African States) and the French Republic on one hand, as well as in the cooperation agreement of 4 December 1973 between the member states of the Union Monétaire Ouest-Africaine (UMOA) (or the Monetary Union of West African States) and the French Republic on the other hand. Just before France conceded to African demands for independence in the 1960s, it carefully organised its former colonies in a system of compulsory solidarity which consisted of obliging the African states to put 65% of their foreign currency reserves into the French Treasury, b ased on the convertibility, at a rigid exchange rate of the CFA – a currency France had created for them.  Gbagbo opposes French Colonial Pact According to President Gbagbo’s former ambassador to the United Nations, Koffi Charlse (Ouattara has since sent his own UN ambassador to New York), “the core of the problem in Cote d’Ivoire is a conspiracy by the French government to use any means necessary to remove Gbagbo from power because they think he is dangerous and inimical to their interests in Francophone Africa. But Gbagbo will not allow the French to control and run Cote d’Ivoire on their own terms.” Now form an objective opinion.