I COLLOQUIUM AFRICA AND DIASPORA

THE PLACE OF BLACK WOMEN IN GEOPOLITICS:
REFLECTING UPON THE CHALLENGES OF
THE STRUGGLE AGAINST
POVERTY AND RACISM

November 6th – 9th, 2008.

Reitoria da Universidade Federal da Bahia – UFBA
(Vice-Chancellery) of the
Federal University of Bahia – UFBA)
Palácio da Reitoria
Rua Augusto Viana, s/nº - Canela
CEP 40.110-060

Salvador – Bahia – Brasil 

THE COLLOQUIUM: MOTIVATIONS AND AIMS
In 2008, the UNEGRO - Union of Black People for Equality, celebrates the 20th  anniversary of its struggle against racism. That same year, it 120 years since Brazil abolished slavery in the country legally. In order to mark those two episodes in our history, the UNEGRO promotes the I Colloquium Africa and Diaspora – The place of black women in geopolitics: reflecting upon the challenges of the struggle against poverty and racism. The event is a space for the encounter and exchange of ideas, analysis and experiences about the current situation of black women in Africa and the Diaspora both.

The Colloquium will create opportunities for remaking and rescuing ways and histories; for assembling voices capable of empowering the presence of black women as political subjects in the spheres of power and decision making, in favor of a world order socially just, ecologically balanced and free of gender, race and class oppression.
Counting upon the active participation of notable black women from all walks of life – militants and scholars especializing in gender and race studies – the Colloquium intends to establish a space for inter-continental dialogue about issues concerning black women in Africa and the Diasporas and their perspectives for articulating new proposal in the struggle against discrimination and poverty.
taking the discussion of strategic contemporary issues as point of departure, the larger aim of the Colloquium is to redefine and redraw the cartographies of the Afro-descendent territories and highlight productions, practices and projects where black women are no longer objects but actors and subjects.

The UNEGRO and its partners in this initiative believe that a different and better world is possible.

PROGRAMME

All sessions will be held at the Reitoria
(Vice-Chancellery) of the
Federal University of Bahia – UFBA

Palácio of the Reitoria of the UFBA
Rua Augusto Viana, s/nº -
Canela – Salvador - Bahia
CEP 40.110-060  

Thursday, November 6th, 2008

06:00 p. m: OPENING CEREMONY with the presence of authorities

• His Excellency, Mr Jacques Wagner, Governor of the State of Bahia
• His Excellency, Mr  Edson Santos, Minister of State for Racial Equality
• Her Excellency, Ms Nilcéia Freire, Minister of State for Especial Policies for Women

Members of Diplomatic Missions to Brazil

• His Excellency, Mr Pedro Flores, General Coordinator for the Spanish International Cooperation Agency
• His Excellency, Dr Lidivaldo Britto, General Attorney for the State of Bahia
• His Excellency, Dr Naomar de Almeida Filho, Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Bahia
• Her Excellency, Ms Ana Falú – Regional Director of UNIFEM – Cone Sul
• Her Excellency, Ms Luiza Bairros – Secretary for Equality Policies for the State of Bahia
• His Excellency, Mr Edson França – National Coordinator Nacional for UNEGRO

06,30 p.m.:OPENING CONFERENCE: The post- abolition in Brazil and in Latin America and its significance for African-American populations.

Conferencists:

Epsy Campbel Barr (Costa Rica) – President of the Association Parlamenteo Negro

Edeltrudes Pires Neves - Cabo Verde - lawyer, ex-Secretary of State and Minister of State Reform, Public Administration and Local; ex-President of the Municipal Council of the city of Praia.

Benedita of the Silva - RJ – Brazil – Secretary for Social Affairs and Human Rights in the State of Rio de Janeiro; ex-Senator; former member of Congress; former Governor for the State of Rio de Janeiro; former Minister for Social Affairs.

Moderator: Olívia Santana (BA/Brazil) – Member of Salvador´s City Council; former Secretary of Education for the City of Salvador.  
 

8, 30 p.m: Cultural performance and Cocktail

Friday, November 7th, 2008

10:00 a. m: Analysis of the impact of the Conferences of Beijing and Durban, in State politics regarding Black women

Conferencists:

Edna Maria Santos Roland (SP/Brazil) – Co-ordinator for Women and Racial Equality Issues in Guarulhos/SP; Co-ordinator for Anti-racism and Anti-discrimination Issues in Latin America and the Caribbean for UNESCO – Brazil.

Jeannine B. Scott (USA) - Vice-President of Africare; MA in Political Science and International Relations from Yale University.

Lily Golden (Russia) – Professor at Moscow University and Chicago University; researcher at the Institute for African Studies – Chicago; writer; musician, author of several books and articles; .  

Moderator: Ubiraci Matilde (BA/Brazil) – Deliberative Council - UNEGRO

12:00 a. m: Lunch.
02:00 p. m.:  Educational Issues and the Insertion of Black Women in the Scientific and Technological Production. 

Conferencists:
Sylviane Anna Diouf (Senegal / USA) – Historian; Curator of the Numeric Collections and Director of the Schomburg-Mellon Institute of the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, N. Y. – USA; author of 10 books.

Dolores Mohammed (Nigeria /USA) - Director of the Essence International School e funof theof thera of the The African Heritage Village em Kaduna –Nigeria; Vice President of The Mayor’s Commission on African And Caribbean Immigrant Affairs In Philadelphia, PA, USA

Fatou Sow Sarr (Sénégal) - Director of the Gender Laboratory - Institut Fondamentale d’Afrique Noire -Université Cheikh Anta Diop – Dakar; PhD in Sociology and Anthropology (University of Montréal and Sorbonne - Paris).

Maria Inês (Brazil) - Vice-director of the UNIFEM – Cone Sul

Mônica Custódio (RJ/Brazil) – Work and Income Co-ordinator – UNEGRO/ RJ

Moderator: Rosa Anacleto (SP/Brasil) – Metroworker and Director of UNEGRO/SP 

Saturday, November 8th, 2008

09:00 a. m. Cultural, Sexual and Reproductive Rights: the struggle against violence, international trafficking and the challenge of  women´s autonomy.
Conferencists:
Tetchena Bellange (Haiti / Canada) – film producer; documentarist; actress; director of the Bel Ange Moon Productions; Cinema Studies and International Commerce - University of Montréal.
Jannaati Sow-Gbetro (France/Guinea) - Director of the Cultural Association Nubia, especialized in the promotion of African cultures; BA in Law and Communication;
Fernanda Lopes (Brazil) - UNFPA - DF
Moderator: Estela Mares Cardoso (SC/Brazil) – Gender Co-ordinator of UNEGRO - SC

12 a. m.: Lunch
14 p. m.: The place of Black women in Geopolitics and the Challenge of the Struggle against Poverty and Discrimination.

Vinie Burrows-Harrison (EUA) – Representative of the UN in the  Democratic International Women´s Federation – DIWF; actress; writer; teacher and lecturer.

Marema Touré Thiam (Sénégal) – President of the Association of African Women for Research and Development  – AFARD- Sénégal; PhD in Sociology;  Founder of Thiory Ingénierie Conseils.

Maria Ângela Ismael Manjate Janace (Mozambique) – Member of National Congress for FRELIMO.
Moderator: Dr Márcia Virgens (BA/Brazil) – Public Attorney, General Attorney´s Office for the State of Bahia

Sunday, November 9th, 2008

9 a. m.: Further perspectives and developments from the Colloquium 

11 a. m.: Public Act of Closing: Black Women against Racism and Poverty.

Place: Praça 2 de Julho-Campo Grande (2 de julho Square – Campo Grande

ORGANIZATION:
Union of Black People for Equality
UBM – Brazilian Women´s Union
UNIFEM – Cone Sul

INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT
Public Ministry of the State of Bahia
Spanish International Cooperation Agency
Participative Democracy –Rhône Alpes – France
SEPPIR – State Special Secretary for Racial Equality Issues
UFBA - Federal University of Bahia
UNESCO - Brazil