July 18, 2011 - For Immediate Release
Sixth Region Diaspora Caucus International (SRDC) and Ujaama
Building International Unity and Working Towards Economic Recovery
in the African Nova Scotian Diaspora Community
“Remember the Ant”: Town Hall Meeting to Take Place Where Africville Once Stood
In recognition of the United Nations declaring 2011, the “International Year for People of African Descent”, the Ujamaa Association and the Sixth Region Diaspora International present, Remember the Ant: An African Family Town Hall Meeting at Africville Park, Saturday July 30 from 2 – 6 pm and;
“Remember the Ant” Townhall in Africville, will take place during the annual Africville Picnic and Reunion festival, which each year honours the historic Black Community that was bulldozed and displaced through so-called “urban renewal” in the 1960s.
The second Townhall: “Remember the Ant”, will take place during the annual Sydney Days of Action, Wednesday, August 3rd, 5:00p.m. at the, MENELIK HALL, 88 Laurier St. Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada. B1N-2B5, (902) 562-0172)
“The metaphor of the ant best describes what the meeting is all about: the humble ant works collectively to ensure the survival of its colony,” says Denise Allen, Nova Scotia facilitator for the SRDC (Sixth Region Diaspora Caucus) and an organizer of the Remember the Ant meeting. “This concept was the foundation that built and sustained the indigenous-black community for more than 300 years in what is now known as Nova Scotia. Moreover, it is just one of many African traditions retained today and explains how our African Nova Scotian ancestors overcame insurmountable obstacles in order to build and become the proud property owners of 47 communities,” says Allen.
The meeting will draw attention to the international economic crisis and its effects on peoples of African descent in Nova Scotia and internationally, and is aimed at planning an economic development strategy to address these challenges within a pan-Africanist framework. One goal is for members of the African Diaspora community of Nova Scotia to participate in the African Union.
“We (the Diaspora) have received an invitation to be a part of the African Union, a central body that represents all except one of the 54 nations of Africa,” says Dr. David L. Horne, international facilitator of the SRDC and a keynote speaker at the Remember the Ant meeting. “The vision is to form what will become the Union of African States and include those of us who live outside the African continent. The Diaspora is to participate in decision-making on determining how that new African future will look. We want members of our community to understand and participate in this great change that is happening.”
Among other themes, the meeting will address the history of Africville in the context of struggles shared by African communities worldwide. “We should remember Africville as a lesson learned. The market interests which displaced the People of Africville and duped them of their land, is likewise responsible for the massive land grab in Africa today,” says Denise Allen.
Participants of the Remember the Ant meeting will work towards:
introducing the Black Community to the African Union (AU) and its invitation to the African Diaspora, known as the African Union Initiative;
presenting information about the Sixth Region Diaspora Caucus (SRDC), an international organization founded to answer that invitation, and establishing a means to elect representatives to travel to the African Union Summit;
establishing a provincial organizing committee and a Community Council of Elders (CCOE), and prepare for the election of representatives and observers from the province of Nova Scotia;
creating a Pan-African Agenda – a set of principles that reflects the aspirations, goals and concerns of black Nova Scotians.
An expected outcome of the event is the formation of a Nova Scotia chapter of the SRDC International, which is one of the representative voices for the African Diaspora (Sixth Region) in the African Union. “This is an historic moment for the African Nova Scotian community,” says Denise Allen. “Just imagine the scope of being linked internationally with the AU. The possibilities are infinite. After nearly 100 years, the vision and dreams of the Honourable Marcus Garvey are finally being realized.”
All are invited to attend.
Remember the Ant: An African Family Town Hall Meeting
Africville / Seaview Memorial Park, Halifax, Nova Scotia
Saturday July 30, 2 – 6 p.m.
Refreshments Provided
Keynote Speakers include:
Dr. David Horne, SRDC International Facilitator
Dr. Rocky Jones, President, Ujamaa
For interviews or more information, please contact:
Denise Allen, SRDC, Nova Scotia Facilitator
902.455.2985 / 902.490.6435
srdcnovascotia@gmail.com
Carolann Wright-Parks, Ujamaa
902.219.2712
cparks@greaterhalifax.com
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