Many activities planned by ACDA, others for year for people of African descent

Dear Editor,

The UN International Year for People of African Descent continues under the theme “Recognition, Justice and Development”. Interestingly, the year helps to highlights some of the contradictions of our European education. This past week for example, on Thursday 27 January, as it does each year, the world marked Holocaust Memorial Day (HMD). HMD has been held in the UK since 2001 and the United Nations declared this an International event in November 2005. January 27 was chosen as the date for HMD because it was on this date in 1945 that the largest Nazi killing camp Auschwitz-Birkenau was liberated.

Yet, the world does not recognize African Holocaust Day on 12 October, the day Columbus came to this part of the world. The greatest African Holocaust was the Arab Slave Trade that went on for 11 centuries and involving millions of Africans. The European Slave Trade and Slavery was a continuation of this greatest crime against Humanity.

As the Year for People of African Descent continues, there are many activities unfolding with ACDA, the All African Guyanese Council and other village organizations in Demerara, Essequibo and Berbice. Key among these activities is the production of the “Know Thyself” Series on 52 weekly four- page documents.

To date, the following are available to schools, organizations and companies who are so predisposed to celebrate the Year.

1.     The Sterling Contributions of Africans to Guyana.
2.     The Village Movement, a great entrepreneurial Act
3.     Philip Moore, artist Extraordinaire
4.     Imhotep, the real Father of Medicine
5.     King Tutankhamen, the Boy King
6.    George GM James, a great Guyanese, author of Stolen     Legacy
7.      The Great Libraries of Timbuktu
8.      The Ishango Bones, the beginning of mathematics
9.      The Critchlow Legacy

Anyone interested can call ACDA at 225-8420 and ask for the Ronald Waddell Reading Room.

In February, Black History Month, several activities are planned by members of the All African Guyanese Council
1.          February 4th   …7 pm Concert at Anna Regina hosted         by ACEA, AAGC  and ACDA
2.          February 5th…….7 pm Concert at Dartmouth hosted         by Dartmouth, AAGC and ACDA
3.    February 9th…….A film at 3.30 pm at ACDA HQ         Thomas Lands
4.       February 12th……A concert at Calcutta, Mahaicony         hosted by Catherine/Calcutta ACDA Group
5.          February 23rd ……Announcement of Hall of Heroes         (male and female)
6.          February 26………Farmers Conference hosted by         AAGC (follow up to Food Security Conference)
7.          February 26……..7:30 PM Concert at Linden hosted         by Linden Coordinating Committee.

Other activities are planned and will be announced to the public as the AAGC is involved in many school debating and presentation activities during this period.

ACDA and the other members of the All African Guyanese Council hopes all Guyanese will use this year in the spirit of racial understanding and harmony. It is hoped that schools will become involved as this is where most of the learning of each other’s culture can be best achieved. The AAGC wishes all Guyanese and especially African Guyanese to endeavor this year to develop their family trees so that they can recognize their ancestors and the contributions they have made to family and nation.

The AAGC is also seeking private sector and donor agencies partners to assist in distributing and printing the Know Thyself series throughout Guyana. The group will also invite the Ministry of Agriculture, FAO, IFAD, WFP, CIDA, USAID, the World Bank and the IDB to the Farmers conference on 26 February.

Many films are also available to be shown in schools and communities to celebrate the year

Yours faithfully,
Eric Phillips