FESPACO: Africa’s Premier Film Festival Opens

 

FESPACO 2009

by Nelima

Africa’s largest film festival kicked off in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso yesterday. FESPACO, which stands for Panafrican Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou (Festival panafricain du cinéma et de la télévision de Ouagadougou) was created in 1969 and is held biannually. 

I usually finally their list of nominees and award winners a great source for African movies.  

You can learn more about FESPACO’s 2009 film festival from their website. Wikipedia has some good info including a list of other African film festivals.

Ethiopian Comedian Meskerem Bekele Performs Tomorrow

Ethiopian Comedian Meskerem Bekele

by Nelima

Top Ethiopian comedian Meskerem will be performing his best acts (old and new) at Central High school tomorrow and Andenet will be performing cultural and traditional dance during the breaks. 

Where: Central High School

When: Saturday, February 28, 2009

 Time: 5:30pm – 9:00pm

For more information contact (651)246-0962

From Colonialism to Neo-Colonialism and currently Afro-Colonialism

by Kawuma

For decades we have blamed the western world for the economic, political and social turmoil on the continent of Africa. Pundits have pointed out colonialism as the symbol of western dominance and superiority and neo-colonialism as the invisible arm of the global economy which casts the African nations at the bottom of the food chain.

Africans took to the streets and celebrated as many of their mother-nations were granted independence. It was a violent up-hill struggle for African nations but it left many with a sense of optimism and hope for a more prosperous Africa.  Neo-colonialism was a reality check that Africa had attained political independence but was still trapped in a web of economic dependence.  The iconic Pan-Africanists including Kwame Nkurumah, Julius Nyerere, Jomo Kenyatta voiced their concerns about neo-colonialism. ‘A State in the grip of neo-colonialism is not master of its own destiny. It is this factor which makes neo-colonialism such a serious threat to world peace.’  Kwame Nkurumah. What many of these founding fathers did not envision was that decades later, Africans would be suffering at the hands of their own.  Afro-colonialism was the beast lurking in the horizon.

The women who put an end to the Liberian war

by Nekessa

Leymah Gbowee Photo Credit: Michael Angelo for Wonderland

Pray the Devil Back to Hell is a must-watch documentary. You might have heard about how thousands of women in Liberia were instrumental in sending Charles Taylor and other warlords to Ghana for peace talks at the height of the Liberian war.  Maybe you saw one of the women Leymah Gbowee in a telephone interview on CNN’s international edition. However, chances are you have not heard this inspiring story. Because let’s face it no one was interested in telling these women’s story; least of all the international media that was covering the crisis at the time (not just the Western media, but also African media).

President Obama Launches White House Internship Program

by THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of Media Affairs

President Obama today launched the White House Internship Program for his administration and announced that applications are currently being accepted for the summer of 2009.  Those selected to participate in the program will gain valuable job experience and an inside look at the life of White House staff while building leadership skills.

Minneapolis Mosque Opens Its Doors to the Community

by Nelima 

Neighbors and friends; reporters, local politicians and law enforcement streamed through the doors of Abubakar As-Sadique Mosque to interact with the Somali Community. The response to an open house invitation by the mosque was overwhelming. Media reports connecting the Minneapolis mosque to the Somali men alleged to have gone back to Somalia to fight Jihad, a holy war, have created new misconceptions about the community. For many guests that evening, learning about Islam and Muslims was refreshing for their knowledge of Islam was limited, and the little they knew was based on stereotypes.

Charles Taylor may go free because court is running broke.

by Nelima

An article in the VOA says that former Liberian president Charles Taylor could go free due to insufficient funds for the court proceedings. For those of you not familiar with the history of this story, Charles Taylor is currently in custody at the Hague and on trial by the UN-backed Special Court for Sierra Leone for war crimes and crimes against humanity during Sierra Leone’s civil war. According to the article;

Reuters news agency quotes prosecutor Stephen Rapp as saying donations to the Special Court for Sierra Leone are down because of the worldwide economic recession. Rapp says if the court runs out of money, it is possible judges will have to release Taylor.

Weekly Round Up: Africans in Minnesotan Media

by Nelima

I went scouring the web again to see what the media is covering in the African comunity. Blind, Inc. gives new meaning to ‘goin’ it on your own’, Pan African Student Leadership conference is this weekend, Muslims invite FBI chief to Minneapolis mosque, M.anifest is coming to America (the same article as Hip Hop has M.anifest),  With War Over, Liberians In Minn. To Be Sent Back, Minnesota Honors Students at Banquet, Ethiopian scientist says physical exercise lowers risk for MCI, Omeka! program brings cultures together. There were a bunch of reports following last night’s open house at Abubakar As-Sadique Islamic center, I will post those after I put up the article I wrote on the event. Did I miss something? Please share.

Sick and nowhere to turn? The CSJs have your back

By Katherine Stone (TC Daily Planet)

Know someone who is uninsured and doesn’t qualify for MinnesotaCare or Medical Assistance? St. Mary’s Health Clinics may be able to help. This network of nine neighborhood clinics throughout the Twin Cities offers free clinic hours weekly to those who have health care needs and nowhere else to go.

Pan African Student Conference Commences Tomorrow

Pan African Student Leadership Conference 2009

by Nelima

Minnesota State University, Mankato will be hosting its 33rd Pan African Student Leadership Conference tomorrow, Feb 26th through the 28th. This year’s theme is “Understanding and Respecting Diversity in the Pan African Community: Working Towards Unity and Global Peace” . 

The conference will be preceded by an Annual Somali Day on Feb 25th (which is today, sorry folks).

The conference will feature many great scholarly presentations, panel discussions and Emmanuel Jal, former child soldier, will also give a talk and perform.

Check for the schedule of events here;

(If the above PDF file doesn’t open try this link)