Note: £5 Early bird ends Aug 14.

UPDATE: International Global Afrikan Congress co-chair Cikiah Thomas will be a special guest speaker.

Marking Spirit Of African Jubilee Year 1987-88, and International Decade For People Of African Descent (IDPAD) 2015-24.

This is an inclusive, family-friendly event.

Although the concept of pan-Africanism has a long history, its well-known pioneers have genrally been drawn from the Anglo diaspora – names such as Henry Sylvester Williams, WEB Du Bois, Marcus Garvey, George Padmore, and Amy Ashwood Garvey. In her short audio-visual presentation ‘Highlighting Pioneering Non-Anglo Diasporan And Continental Pan-Africanists’, community activist Nana Asante will highlight some of the unsung pan-Africanists from the non-Anglo dispora, such as Haiti, and from the African continent, who deserve to be better known.

History consultant Kwaku in his paper detailed below, asserts that if pan-Africanism is not to atrophy into nothing more than a topic confined to discussion and academic discourse, Africans, particularly African leaders must capture the imagination and support of their people by putting forward bold pan-Africanist visions, with a belief and determination to bring them into reality! The alternative is the begging bowl mentality which sinks African nations on the continent and the diaspora deeper into debt-trap and lack of sovereignty.

Pan-Africanism: We Have An Identity And Vision Problem!
The blurb for Dr Kehinde Andrews‘ ‘A Radical Vision Of A New Africa’ video describes it as a “provocative vision for a future newtopia – a world where Africa is the ‘promised land’”. But this paper by Kwaku however posits that this utopian vision is achievable to a large extent, if Africans, particularly leaders, will identify with their commonality as Africans, have confidence in self and bold, pan-Africanist visions.

Whilst pan-Africanism ideology is certainly the tool to emancipate and enhance the African condition, there is an obvious clear and present danger to engagement with pan-Africanism. That’s the lack of African identity, interest, confidence, and vision.

In the diaspora, many Africans do not recognise themselves as Africans and are disengaged with Africa and African issues. On the continent, Africans political leaders are invariably encumbered by lack of vision. This is manifested by ‘foreign (read Western or Chinese) is best’ mind-sets and woefully disadvantageous trade deals.

Coupled with this is the systemic discrimination, disadvantage and racial prejudice against African people. This paper posits that initiatives to mitigate this, such as UN’s IDPAD (International Decade For People Of African Descent) 2015-24 programme, are unlikely to achieve their aims whilst Africans have issues with identity and vision.

This paper seeks to show what can potentially be achieved if we have pan-Africanist leaders with vision, by screening ‘A Radical Vision Of A New Africa’ in order to explore practical steps that can help bring bold visions towards reality.

Produced by BTWSC/African Histories Revisited in association with Friends Of Marcus Garvey Bust Collective @ WGLC and Brent Museum and Archives. For enquiries: btwsc@hotmail.com.
Book at www.bit.ly/MGAPAP2019

We acknowledge financial contribution made by Leonard Johnson.