African Liberation and Empowerment Conference 2018


May 26, 2018 / Kingston, Jamaica / Free entrance

Mona visitors lodge, University of the West Indies / 10:00am to 5:00pm

Conference / Drumming / Video / Entertainment

About


It is being brought to your attention that on May 25, 1963 a very historic and significant event took place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Leaders of thirty-two independent African states met to form the Organization of African Unity (OAU). It was at this conference that the day was declared African Liberation Day. On the 25th of May each year, Africans, and other oppressed peoples all over the world, plan activities to commemorate this momentous activity. It is very prudent to host many of these activities at this time since the United Nations has declared this decade INTERNATIONAL DECADE FOR PEOPLE OF AFRICAN DESCENT.

With this in mind, it is realized that Jamaica, as a nation of mostly African descendants, has not been highlighting the day or this special event publicly in the way that we should. As a consequence, the African Liberation and Empowerment Committee (ALEC), Jamaica chapter, is hosting the African Liberation and Empowerment Conference at the University of the West Indies, Mona Campus.

It is with great respect that the ALEC invite you at the conference that we are hosting in order to memorialize African Liberation Day. It is mediums like these that allow for different peoples with common causes and similar identities to meet to celebrate, highlight and become motivated to continue the journey towards a better nation and to develop a greater appreciation for community development and nation building.

It is hoped that the intention to host a conference of this magnitude and significance matches your mandate of promoting and supporting culturally beneficial forums aimed at enlightening the awareness of peoples around the world..


Brief History of African Liberation Day

The over 500 years of slavery and exploitation of Africa is to date the most brutal suffering experience by humanity. On April 15, 1958 African leaders met in a coordinated and unified way in Accra, Ghana at the Accra conference. This conference was significant in that it represented the first Pan-African Conference held on African soil. It demonstrated the collective expression of contempt at imperialism and to see the system of colonialism permanently done away with. This was dubbed African Freedom Day; it was marked each year onward by the progress of the liberation movement, and it symbolized the determination of the people of Africa to free themselves from foreign domination and exploitation.

Five years later, on May 25, 1963, leaders of thirty-two independent African states met to form the Organization of African Unity (OAU). It was at this historic meeting that Africa Freedom Day was changed from April 15 to May 25 and Africa Freedom Day was declared African Liberation Day (ALD). African Liberation Day has been held on May 25 in every corner of the world since.

African Liberation Day activities are very significant as it reflects the maturity of the Pan-African Movement as it develops with a more mature objective. As an institution within Pan-Africanism, ALD reflects growth and appreciable developments.


Accomplishments of African Liberation Day

  • Contributed to the struggle to raise political awareness and organization in African communities worldwide.
  • Promote the culture of ‘ONE LOVE’.
  • Platform for many Africans and other oppressed people to be informed about their struggles for true liberation and empowerment.
  • Played a critical role in the defeat of colonialism and apartheid.
  • Provides inspiration for others to support various progressive organizations around the world.
  • Provision of a platform where the world could receive political education on the nature of the struggle.
  • Provides a mass assembly where the spirit and moral of the empowerment activists could be reinvigorated.
  • Expose various types of human rights violations which affect humanity as a whole.

Give thanks to Osagyefo Kwame Nkrumah for planting the first seed to hundreds during African Liberation Day observances which have occurred all over the world. Today African Liberation Day activities stand committed to the struggle for national independence, African redemption, African liberation, African unification and nation building for all nations throughout the earth. Accomplishing these objectives can only be possible if as an organization we support other organizations that are working for the development of people of all nations as well as the total liberation of all nations. America prides itself as one of the greatest nation on earth. It emphasizes liberty for all. So, as Jamaicans, let us support more personal, national and regional liberty in the form of the African Liberation Day Conference.


Objectives of the Conference

  • To host an event for the family to be informed and entertained in a positive environment.
  • To promote the ‘one love culture’.
  • To help Jamaicans develop love for self and their heritage.
  • To encourage, motivate and empower our people.
  • To provide readily available and cutting-edge information on restoration/reparation.
  • To create and expand various networks that will help to promote and facilitate African unity.
  • To promote healthy wholesome life style for the entire family.
  • To facilitate a framework for African-centred consciousness as a means of community development in Jamaica.
  • To help Jamaicans develop a greater appreciation for African heritage.
  • To help Jamaicans develop a greater understanding of how African liberation affects empowerment in general.
  • Identify solution for problems that Jamaicans experience at the family and community level and by extension the wider society.
  • Create a framework which promotes the thinking that the world is a global village, hence what goes on in one small corner of the world affects the wider world.
  • To encourage fathers to play a greater role in the development of their families.
  • To promote vision 2030.

NB. We will be extending special invitation to various high schools, youth clubs and other community groups to come out and be informed and entertained.


The Importance of African Liberation and Empowerment Conference in Jamaica

A large cross-section of the Jamaican population feels unfairly treated by the justice system which does not facilitate reparation/restoration from the displacement suffered from slavery. In this modern society, they feel oppressed and down-trodden because our fore-parents were forced to work without pay, knowing that the proceeds from their labour was used to build a system which is now very powerful yet oppressive. There view is that the countries which are classified super-power benefited from the proceeds of slavery. Our fore-parents were made to work without pay for over 400 years. These issues cause anger at the onset of discrimination. Other issues include the fact that it is very difficult for people to see themselves as once belonging to a proud heritage, but instead see themselves as descendants of slaves, which results in low self-esteem culminating in the phenomenon of bleaching syndrome, amongst other ills of society. These problems will be addressed by the conference.

This conference also seeks to provide interpretations to problems that Jamaicans experience at the family and community level and by extension the wider world, through the lens of an African-centred consciousness. By so doing, we will enhance the ways in which we interpret our problems. Jamaicans are becoming more violent and intolerant every day. One contribution to this is the fact that Jamaicans do not see Jamaica as a group of family-oriented villages, which looks out for all its members. This event seeks to change that and facilitate greater community development. Jamaicans have been seeking for solutions to our problems within a European type paradigm. This event however seeks to incorporate an African type paradigm in finding solutions for Jamaica’s problems.

The conference further seeks to provide some amount of clarification and relief for such atrocities in the form of various high level lectures/presentations from well-accomplished individuals in academia.

NB. As a result of the significance of this event, it is our aim to make this event an annual one.


Outline of the Event

  • Activities
  • Lectures
  • Musical entertainment
  • African items/artefacts on display
  • Exhibitions


Lectures/Presentations

The lectures are geared towards providing a platform for the experts to share their ideas and views on various topical issues. The proposed lecture panel could include:

  • Dr. Aundre Haughten
  • Dr. Kadamawe Knife
  • Dr. Jalani Niaah
  • Mr. Steven Golding
  • Dr. Michael Barnett
  • Dr. Sonjah Niaah


Order of the event

  • Opening activities including drumming and libation (15 minutes)
  • 3 hours of presentations
  • Each speaker speaks for 25 minutes
  • After every two speaker there will be a 10 minute break
  • 1 Hour break for food/refreshment, networking and vending
  • 2 hours for movie

Speakers


Contact us


africanliberationmovt@gmail.com

1 (876) 483-0079

Supported by


Andre Haughton


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Kadamawe Knife


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Michael Barnett


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Sanja Niaah


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Steven Golding


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