African Unity Day FAQ - August 1997

AFRICAN UNITY DAY
Dag Hammarksjold Plaza, United Nations
Sunday, July 19, 1998
10:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.

To speak, send copy of your speech to,
P.O. Box 971
Bronx, NY 10472

To perform,
call Patrick 718 434-9064

To exhibit art, call James 212 560-6712
or Abdu 212 618-7553

To donate foor or volunteer
to serve the homeless that day,
call Jennifer 718 716-2229

To read a poem,
call Valjahna 7`18 322-4680

Go to Schedule

Text of original email invitation to Four Winds.

Subject: AFRICAN UNITY DAY
Date:    Wed, 27 Aug 97 15:36:35 +0000
From:    "nouk bassomb" -bassomb@hotmail.com-
To:      khgriffith@worldnet.att.net

Dear Kurt,

We met yesterday evening at the PostGraduate Center and we walked out together. I liked your mental being so much that I'd like to share the following with you.

On the third sunday of July 1998, from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. at the Dag Hammarskjold Plaza in New York City, HoSHEP and the Coalition for Africa's Economic Community organize AFRICAN UNITY DAY to call attention on the economic integration of Africa. The United Nations (U.N.) Secretary General and the Organization of African Unity (O.A.U.) Secretary General will be invited to speak.

This spiritual, peaceful, educative and not-for-profit event will be televised in every major city in Africa and the world. And depending on people's response, we might as well make AFRICAN UNITY DAY an on-going part of New York's annual summer frenzy.

At the June 1991 OAU summit in Abuja (Nigeria), 34 leaders endorsed and formally signed a treaty for the establishment of an African economic community. The treaty set out a timetable for the phased removal of barriers to intra-African trade and the strengthening of the existing regional economic groupings, and took other steps toward African economic cooperation and integration culminating in the formation of an Africanwide monetary union and economic community by the year 2026. Uganda President Yoweri Museveni (the then outgoing OAU chairman) emphasized that this is "the most critical issue of our time for Africa" and former Nigerian President, General Babanginda Badamasi, who was to take over the OAU chairmanship, agreed that "the economic integration of Africa is the priority of this generation" and reinforced this point, calling the signing of the treaty "a milestone in Africa's quest for continental economic integration" and pledged to speed its implementation.

This letter is to inquire if you would agree to PARTICIPATE in this event. Now that we have crushed apartheid in South Africa, we believe that the building of Africa's economic community is the next step in the struggle for the total liberation of Africa. Africa's economic empowerment has to follow political liberation, otherwise we have achieved nothing.

As of now, we don't have cash money to consider booking entertainers; but if by July 1998 we are richer, we'll consider artists compensation. FOR THE MOMENT, JUST CONSIDER PARTICIPATING. FOR FREE. To support an important and just cause. How about singing at the intefaith service?

HoSHEP salutes CARICOM, the economic and political organization of Caribbean states which emerged from its 18th summit meeting with one additional member, the 15th, Haiti. "The common market is not an option. It is a non-negotiable reality in the lives of each and every Caribbean citizen," stated the summit's host, Jamaica's PM, Mr. Percival Patterson. Efforts to form a Caribbean common market date back at least 50 years when a meeting of regional leaders was held in Kingston, Jamaica, to discuss the idea. The movement has gained new momentum in recent years with the creation of NAFTA and progress toward a European Common Market. Among other rules, the agreement allows nationals of CARICOM nations to open business in any member country, to move capital around the region, and to sell services in the various territories.

Stay strong.

Sincerely,

Nouk Bassomb (212) 618-7553
Organizing Committee

P.S. Follows schedule as we see it today: (7/13/98 update shown)

Schedule

1:15 p.m. Talking Stone Kurt Griffith
Talking Stone is Director of Four Winds Earth Chorus
Because of itÍs relevance to the mission of the Chorus, here is the text of Kurt's Black Elk Speech.

2:00 p.m. The Rev. Ed Gwynn, Baptist Preacher

2:30 p.m. Jezibell, Belly Dancer

3:00 p.m. The Rev. Jon Ukaegbu, Roman Catholic Priest

3:30 p.m. Brooklyn Drums

4:30 p.m. Poetry Hour

Judy Bady
Joan Miller
John Pitts

and others

6:00 p.m. Hadja Worley, Community Activist

6:15 p.m. Mr. Charles Hopson, President/Amicale Bassa-USA

6:30 p.m. Joan Miller, Vocalist

6:45 p.m. Four Winds Earth Chorus
Note: As it turned out, Members had afternoon and evening commitments so we declined this opportunity to perform an encore set. -KG

7:00 p.m. Ms. Nefertari Ahmose
Chair/African Unity Day Organizing Committee

8:00 p.m. Obanjoko, Drummer

8:15 p.m. Djata, Drummer

8:45 p.m. Osagyefo, Community Activist

9:00 p.m. Candlelight Vigil

9:05 p.m. Brooklyn Drums

10:00 p.m. End of Festivities

THANKS

City of New York
Parks & Recreation Department
The 17th Precinct
Nefertari Ahmose & Friends
Jennifer Dohrn & Friends & Family
Alison Quammie & Family
Patrick Metivier & Friends & Family
Father Jon Ukaegbu
Dr. Uju Afulezi
Four Winds Earth Chorus
Talking Stone Kurt Griffith

& all the participants

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Version 2, 25 July 1998, By Kurt Griffith/Talking stone, E-Mail: khgriffith@verizon.net
Copyright (c)1997 KG/4WEC except for original material and lyrics, which are held by individual artists and organizations.