The Atlantic slave trade marked the beginning of the dispersal of people of African descent to the new world. A good number of Africans were exported especially to Brazil, the British colony of Barbados , the Caribbean Islands and the Americas with far-reaching implications on the life and progress of Africa , its peoples and culture. This has continued to have a debilitating effect on Africa and the African Diaspora development.
The mobilization of slaves from Africa at formative stage of the continental development stalled the natural evolution of what could have made the realization of a productive network of relationship feasible and realistic. African history has for years been distorted in the same manner that her peoples had been dehumanized. The spread of African culture has brought about economic and cultural development of people outside Africa , unfortunately at Africa expense.
The attendant severance of every possible means of contacts impaired the depth of knowledge and exchange on the two divides Africans on the continent and Africans in the Diaspora. The palpable lack of knowledge of the inherent potentialities for socio-economic ends has impeded the rise of Africa and Africans in the world socio-economic and political spaces.
While the Diaspora does not have the full grasp of the diverse potentials in Africa embedded in the richness of its history, culture and religion; Africans on the continent also appear not to be giving due consideration to the many derivable benefits from exploring the potentials of its external contents. It is the realization of the foregoing and the need to transcend these challenges that has made the organization of a colloquium to examine these issues very imperative.
As a Pan-African and Afro-Centric Organization, CBAAC in recent times, has intensified activities on its international mandate of facilitating closer cultural links between continental and Diaspora Africa . In order to achieve this, the Centre has been organizing international programmes all of which have been attracting scholars, experts, researchers on African culture and Civilization. It is in keeping with this tradition that a Colloquium scheduled for Rio de Janeiro, Brazil is being organized to bring academics and experts from Africa, the African Diaspora and other parts of the world together to chart a new course for African and the African Diaspora.
The theme of this year conference is: Teaching and Propagating African History to the Diaspora and Teaching Diaspora History to Africa. This theme was informed by the near-total neglect of the teaching of African history in many African schools at the secondary and tertiary levels and the need to rekindle the interests of continental and Diaspora Africans in the teaching and learning of their respective histories. It is expected that this colloquium will generate a new curriculum for the study of African history.
The choice of Brazil is informed by its centrality to Africa and Africa Diaspora relationship. It is also meant to underscore the Brazilian government keen interest in the teaching of African history as exemplified in the decision of the government of President Lula da Silva to promulgate Decree 10. 639/03 which mandates the inclusion of African history and culture in the curriculum of the Brazilian educational system at all levels since January 9, 2003.
Conference Objectives:
- To promote proper understanding of African history and the history of the Africans in the Diaspora
- To strengthen the mutual relationship between continental Africans and African Diaspora
- To build upon our common heritage as well as promote our collective contributions to world civilizations.
- To chart a new course for the teaching of African and Diaspora history at all levels of the educational system for the benefit of Black and African communities worldwide.
- To explore ways of restoring Africa traditional values by re-establishing family ties in order to enhance our potentials for collective development of the continent and its people.
Expected Outcome
The Conference promises to:
- Enhance better appreciation and understanding of African and the Diaspora histories
- Develop a sustainable mechanism and action plan for harmonizing the diverse output of Africans and the Diaspora research and studies.
- Strengthen the existing platform for mutual understanding and co-operation between continental Africa and the Diaspora
- Foster economic interaction between the African continent and the Diaspora
- Strengthen historical and cultural ties between Nigeria , Africa and the Diaspora.
- Encourage development partnership between Africa and the Diaspora.
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