Afrika & Diaspora Collective Sets date for Global Festival in Namibia 2017 An Afrika and Diaspora Global Festival of Arts and Cultures (Adgfac) is called to be held in Namibia, Afrika, during the middle of 2017. The Festival organisers, a collective of Diaspora and Continental Partnerships, including Selfhelp News – “Giving Voice to the Voiceless”, primary focus is to working with Afrikan people and time-tested friends across the Globe, including grassroots arts, cultural, educational, youth, women, civil societies, faith groups, governments and businesses. The theme of the Festival is - “LET US GET TO KNOW ONE ANOTHER BETTER” The aims are: To Bring together in one place, in Afrika, Afrikan and Afrikan heritage artists, of various genres, from across the world, including Afrika, Europe, the Americas, the Caribbean, the Middle and Far East, Asia the Pacific and Australasia, to celebrate Global Afrika’s Artistic and Cultural creativities, over a four week period and every thirty six months thereafter, for the same period, during the 21st Century. To use arts and cultures to inform, educate, entertain and inspire; and To provide an artistic and cultural vehicle for Global Afrika to interact and grow without barriers. The Organisers, supported by a network of worldwide support and advisory committees, said that the initial idea and philosophy underpinning Adgfac are solely Dr Vince Hines’ , Chairperson of the Afrika and Diaspora Institute (Adi), London, England, which he shared initially with selected individuals and groups and eventually the world for Collective benefits. “We want the world to come to Namibia and salute the Namibian people and enjoy their hospitalities. To sing and dance with ourselves and the spirits of our Afrikan ancestors, giving due deference for their contributions to our existence,” said Dr Vince Hines. Shaka Barak, President of the Marcus Garvey Institute in Chicago, the USA said “Historically, arts and cultural always played pivotal roles in motivating African development. In Honourable Marcus Garvey time, culture was important. The Universal Negro Improvement Association & African Communities League (UNIA-ACL) had choirs, bands and a section for music. This proposed Global Festival is necessary to remind us of the positive of our African cultural similarities globally.” The Festival organisers are motivated and driven by four essential Self-Help Principles, enshrined in SWEP, which are, to Share, Warn, Encourage and Protect, in times of plenty and times of scarcity, rejecting mendacity, larceny and slothfulness. SWEP will be the basis on which Adgfac will be guided to success. The discussions between the organisers and Namibia Government are progressing. It is crucial that the Namibia government is on board to help to smooth the way, and ensure that the process of planning the Festival will have minimum logistic risks, normally associated with large functions of this type. The selection of Namibia to host this Global Event is welcome news to most Namibians who were informed of the proposal, during the on-going progressive discussions since May 2013. There is a great deal of enthusiasm about the proposal and potential benefits for Namibia, Afrika, the Diaspora and Global Afrika, generally, during the short, medium and long term. Kefentse Takani, Chairperson of Adgfac Support and Advisory Committee in Namibia said: “We followed with keen interest the Namibian Prime Minister, Rt. Hon. Dr Hage Geingob, recent visits to USA/Canada/UK and the far East, with a mission and goal to seek ways and means to create employment for the growing Namibian population. “Following Adgfac delegation face to face discussions with His Excellency Steven Katjiuanjo, High Commissioner/Ambassador of the Republic of Namibia in London, England and presentation of the Festival’s business plans, we firmly believe that Adgfac is a significant project to enable and assist Namibia in this quest to create employment for her population. “From our own research, festival has a potential of attracting 1.5 million visitors to Namibia over a 4 week period in June - July 2017.” The Festival organising committee are in close consultations with stake holders on the ground in Namibia, some of whom are, Pan-African Centre of Namibia (PACON), the National Youth Council of Namibia, the National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC), the polytechnic of Namibia and others at the grassroots. NBC, Director General, Mr Albertus Aaochamub, said NBC would join the global media in broadcasting nationally the Festival in 2017. The intention is to work with a Global Collective to establish Adgfac on a scale similar to Football Africa and World Cup Events, with the same level of support and interest from the people, including governments, corporations, businesses and commercial enterprises, NGOs, political and faith groups, locally, regionally, nationally and globally. There is a potential that the performances from this major Afrikan Global peace inspiring Event could be heard and viewed by 1.5 billion people across the world, via the mass media, including TV, radio, INTERNET social sites, magazines and newspapers. Nigerian Franka Obih, Chairwoman of the African Women’s Forum said: “This is a good idea. Our members fully support this important initiative. This is the right time for this Global Festival to be held in Africa, to help to elevate African people around the world where we are able to identify and connect spiritually, intellectually and emotionally through arts and culture for our common-wellbeing.” Presentations at Adgfac Namibia 2017 will include poetry, storytelling, vocal, urban and rural artistic expressions, theatre performers, workshops, music, comedy, recording, DJ, childrens craft workshops, performing arts workshops, sculptures, masks, carnival presentations, steel bands, drumming, dancing, photography, Afrika and Diaspora films and Videos, fine art exhibitions, community based scholars’ and thinkers’ spoken words, books and research on Afrikan and her Diasporas, history, languages, arts and cultures and support for talented children and young people to develop their artistic talents. This list is not exhaustive. Afrika has two distinct Diasporans, the children of the millions who were kidnapped and forcibly transported across oceans, desert plains and sand dunes, consistently over three hundred years, between the 16th and 19th century, resulted in the institution of chattel slavery, and the children of those less in numbers, economic migrants, students and ex-students, who left colonial Afrika to seek their fortunes in foreign lands during the 1950s and later refugees to the current time. As a result, Afrikan arts and cultures are being practised by millions of Afrikans living outside the Continent of Afrika, recognised by both groups of Diasporans as their Spiritual and Ancestral Homeland. Despite this diversity and vast geographical distances, there are some unifying themes when considering the totality of Afrikan artistic and cultural expressions, in Afrika and her Diaspora. These themes and creative expressions and our willingness to share, set Afrikans apart from others. Today, the African Union (AU) defines the Diaspora as consisting of peoples of African origin living outside the Continent, irrespective of their citizenship and nationality and who are willing to contribute to the development of the Continent and the building of the African Union. The African Union momentous invitation to Afrikans in the Diaspora to form themselves in a 6th Region of Afrika and become part of the African Union, is a very momentous period in history for Afrika and Afrikans living in the Diaspora. Yasus Afari, famous Caribbean Artist, said: “This Global Festival sounds good. With Vision We Flourish - One Earth, One Love, One Humanity.” Valerie Dixon, Lady President of The Universal Negro Improvement Association & African Communities League (UNIA-ACL), and founder of the Marcus Garvey Fair, Jamaica, said: “There is enough time for us to prepare for the Festival in 2017. The announcement of this special event to be held in Namibia comes at a time when we are celebrating the Centenary of the founding of the UNIA-ACL in Kingston, Jamaica, by Jamaica’s First National Hero, His Excellency Marcus Mosiah Garvey, in August 1914. Our Founder’s primary occupation was to bring African people together. This Global Festival also seeks to do that.” John Nze-Bertram, Facilitator - The African Diaspora in Australia (& Asia Pacific) Project and Principal Convenor & Chairperson - Celebration of African Australians Inc said: “This project is laudable. I think its a great idea” Nsimba Bitendi, Leader of the Congolese band, Taxi Pata Pata said: “This Global Festival is important. Our recent African history is full of casualties. We need an Event of this sort to help us pick up our broken pieces.” “I am a Ghanaian youth and I welcome this. My peer group would also welcome such a big Festival like this. It’s something different for us to think about, other than conflicts and violence. I want to be at the Festival in 2017,” said student Kofi Ahern. Dr Vince Hines said: “Given contemporary geo-political movement, it is crucial that Afrikans wherever we are in the world, must create our Global Artistic and Cultural Platform. This is without our being hindered by sectarian divisions.” Dr Hines continued, “We must be able to own fully and share our arts, cultures and general creativities among ourselves and our time-tested friends. Our endeavour is to build Adgfac collectively as a suitable and lasting vehicle for healing, community development, growth and prosperity.” Adgfac is therefore consistent with the AU current thrust for unity of purpose, and the building of bridges between new, progressive and prosperous Afrika and her Diaspora. The Event will also have guest performers from other nations across the world, emblematic of Adgfac recognition of our multi-cultural Planet. For more information about Adgfac, contact the organisers at info.adgfac@ubol Editorial Collective Self-Help News – “Giving Voice to the Voiceless” [MediaRelease003/30062014
Posted on: Fri, 04 Jul 2014 22:43:55 +0000
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