Press Statement

4th Pan-Africanism Congress Munich 2013 on 18th & 19th October
in the InitiativGruppe and the Muffathalle


This year’s Pan-Africanism congress will take place on the 18th and 19th of October 2013 under the patronage of the Mayor of the City of Munich. The theme is LEARNING FROM THE PAST with the following emphases:
• The connection between Slavery and Colonialism
• The Post-Apartheid situation in South Africa
• The genocide in Southern Africa: 105 years after
The Congress is dedicated to the memory of Steve Bantu Biko, anti-apartheid activist and founder of the „ Black Consciousness Movement” in South Africa, as well as the Pan-Africanist and politically engaged singer Miriam Makeba. Furthermore, the congress will commemorate the victims of the genocide in Namibia (the Hereros, Namas, San and the Damara amongst others)
In speeches, discussions and films, international experts (amongst others Steve Biko’s son, Mr. Nkosinathi Biko, Ms. Ida Hoffmann, Mr. Denis Golberg, Mr. Usutuaije Maamberua) will grapple with the situation of post-Apartheid South Africa and post-Genocide Namibia. After an era of challenges and upheavals in these countries, a stock taking will be conducted within the framework of the congress to highlight the positive changes and the yet to be surmounted negative aftermaths from the period of repression.


According to Hamado Dipama of the Pan-Africanism Working Group Munich „We are delighted that parliamentarians from Namibia and Germany have agreed to discuss about Germany’s responsibility for the genocide in Namibia with congress participants. Coming to terms with the German genocide in Namibia and the decolonization of the towns in Germany are indispensable”.


Furthermore, during the congress, there will be an exhibition about the life of Steve Biko and Apartheid (in cooperation with the Steve Biko Foundation, Johannesburg, South Africa and the Initiativ-Gruppe Munich) as well as an exhibition on the genocide in Namibia in cooperation with AFROTAK TV cyberNomads Berlin.


The congress will close with the documentary film “United States of Africa” and an artists’ round table as well as a live concert “Urban Pan-African Vibes” featuring Zuluboy (South Africa), AP2P (feat. M1 from dead prez, USA) and Awadi & Band (Senegal) in cooperation with the „Urban Vibes“ Project of the City of Munich’s cultural department


Admission is free!


For more information see attached detailed programme overview below or here:
http://www.panafrikanismusforum.net/start.en.html


You will also find a retrospect of the congresses of 2007, 2009 and 2011 including photo galleries there.



Please note: There will be a press conference for the congress from 10 am to 10:30 am at the Muffathalle, to which you are warmly welcome.


We shall be very pleased if you would report on the Pan-Africanism Congress in Munich. Pictures in printable resolution shall of course be provided upon request.


Yours sincerely,
Hamado Dipama
For the organising committee


Contact:
Arbeitskreis Panafrikanismus e.V.
Hamado Dipama, Mobile: 0176-62067359
Uche Akpulu, Mobile: 0173-3595665


Augsburger Str. 13
80337 München
Tel: 089-416159959
Fax: 089 - 76 22 36
sekretariat@panafrikanismusforum.net
www.panafrikanismusforum.net


…………………………………………………………
Congress Programme:


Moderation: Dr. Ms. Aissa Halidou & Ms. Khady Diop-Klepin


18th October 2013


Venue: InitiativGruppe – Interkulturelle Begegnung und Bildung e.V. Karlstr. 50, 80333 Munich


Opening of the exhibition “Biko: The Quest for a True Humanity”, about the life of Steve Biko and Apartheid. The exhibition is in cooperation with the Steve Biko Foundation, South Africa.
(Duration of exhibition: 18th October till 17th November 2013)


5.30 pm: Musical event opening with Mori Dioubaté (Musician. He has worked with Miriam Makeba amongst others)
6.00 pm: Welcome speech by Arbeitskreis Panafrikanismus München e.V.
6.10 pm: Presentation of the Steve Biko Foundation
Speaker: Ms. Obenewa Amponsah (Director of International Partnerships at the Steve Biko Foundation (SBF) in South Africa)


Topic group 1: The connection between slavery and colonialism

6.30 pm: The Rationality of Oppression: Slavery and Colonialism as birds of a featherSpeaker: Dr. Michael Onyebuchi Eze (Founding Director for the Center for Leadership and African Diaspora Studies at Covenant University, Nigeria, in cooperation with Stanford University, USA)


7.05 pm: Multimedia presentation: From Gorée via Windhoek towards the Cape, Remembering the victims and the consequences of slavery Speaker: Mr. Eloi Coly (Curator and Site Manager of Goree Island, Maison des Esclaves de
Goree (house of slaves), Sénégal)


7.45 pm: Slavery in the 21st Century: Mauritania as a bitter example Speaker: Mr. Biram Dah Abeid (President of the anti-slavery NGO Initiative for the Resurgence of the Abolitionist Movement in Mauritania “IRA”).


8.20 pm: Panel discussion: The connection between slavery and colonialism Discussants: Mr. Eloi Coly, Mr. Michael Eze, Mr. Biram Dah Abeid and Ms. Mathilda Légitimus-Schleicher


9.30 pm: End


19th October 2013


Venue: Muffathalle, Zellstrasse 4, 81667 Munich


10:00 – 10:30 am: Press conference

10:30-10:50 am: Opening of the exhibition on the genocide in Namibia in the congress hall foyer in the Muffatthalle in

cooperation with AFROTAK TV cyberNomads Berlin with Michael & Adetoun Küppers-Adebisi


11:00 am: Musical event opening with Group Lanadi of Togo
11:10 am:

Welcome speech, City of Munich representative
Welcome speech, Council of Foreigners, Munich
Welcome speech, Pan–Africanism Working Group, Munich

Topic group 2: The Post-apartheid situation in South Africa


11:40 am: Film Screening: Documentary film about Steve Biko and Apartheid in South Africa
12:40 – 1:00 pm: Welcome speech by guest of honour Mr. Nkosinathi Biko (Son of Steve Biko and
Founder of the Steve Biko Foundation, SBF)
1:05 – 1:40 pm: The legacy of Steve Bikos “Black Consciousness Movement”
Speaker: Ms Affiong L. Affiong (Director and founder of the Moyo Pan African Solidarity Centre in Ghana & Great Britain)
1:45 pm: Tribute to Miriam Makeba with musical dedication by Group Lanandi from Togo
2:10 pm: Break
2:50 - 3:20 pm: Social & economic equality in South Africa: the role of the black elite and the political ruling class
Speaker: H.E. Dr. Makhenkesi Arnold Stofile (South African Ambassador in Germany and Member of the National executive Committee of the African National Congress, ANC)
3:25 – 3:55 pm: Success & failure of the struggle against apartheid from today’s point of view Speaker: Mr. Dipl.-Ing Denis Golberg (Defendant in the Rivonia Trial with Nelson Mandel. 22 years of imprisonment (1963-1985) followed by 17 years in exile.)
4:00 pm: Panel discussion on the Post–apartheid situation in South Africa. With Ms. Affiong Affiong, Mr. Denis Goldberg und Dr. Makhenkesi Stofile


5:00 pm: Musical interlude with Mori Dioubaté
5:30 pm: Break


Topic group 3: The genocide in Southern Africa: 105 years later


5:45 – 6:15 pm: 105 years after the genocide in Namibia: the current debate in Namibia
Speaker: Ms. Ida Hoffmann, (Chairwoman of the „Nama Technical Committee“ in Namibia)
6:20 – 6:50 pm: 105 years after the genocide in Namibia: Germany´s responsibility
Speaker: Mr. Usutuaije Maamberua, (Member of the Namibian Parliament)
7:00 pm: Panel discussion on the responsibility of Germany regarding the genocide in Namibia
Discussants: Ms. Ida Hoffmann, Mr. Usutuaije Maamberua, Mr. Niema Movassat, Member German Parliament (Die Linke), Mr. Christoph Strässer Member of the German Parliament (SPD) & Mr. Hans-Christian Ströbele, Member of the German Parliament (Bündnis 90/ Die Grünen, requested)
7:50 pm: Presentation of the congress declaration


8:00 pm: Closing and acknowledgements


For the duration of the congress, there will be an exhibition on the genocide in Namibia in the congress hall foyer in the Muffatthalle in cooperation with AFROTAK TV cyberNomads Berlin.

 

Evening Programme (in cooperation with the „Urban Vibes“ Project of the City of Munich’s cultural department)
8:30 pm: Documentary film “United States of Africa”
9:30 pm: Welcome address, Nkosinathi Biko

9:35 pm-10:00 pm: Artists’ round table
From 10:15 pm: Concert – Urban Panafrican Vibes featuring:
• Zuluboy (South Africa)
• AP2P (feat. M1 from dead prez, USA) and
• Awadi & Band (Senegal)


Sponsored by the Cultural Department of the City of Munich Under the patronage of Mr. Christian Ude, mayor of Munich


Cooperation partners:Council of Foreigners of the City of Munich, Steve Biko Foundation, Südafrika/ AFROTAK TV cyberNomad, Berlin/ InitiativGruppe - Interkulturelle Begegnung und Bildung e.V./ AfricAvenir International e.V./ EXILEKulturkoordination e.V./ Zentralrat der afrikanischen Gemeinde in Deutschland/ Petra Kelly Stiftung / Katholischer Fonds, Brot für die Welt - Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst, Kurt Eisner Verein/RosaLuxemburg Stiftung, Stiftung Umverteilen, Engagement Global Stuttgart, Netzwerk München/ Reisebüro Sacco


Profile of AKPM
The Pan-Africanism Working Group Munich is involved in promoting international understanding and inter-cultural exchange and serves as a forum for social, cultural and intellectual interactions between people of African descent and the African diaspora as well as Germans and people of other nations in Germany. The association campaigns against all forms of racism and discrimination and advocates for equal rights for all. Our regular events and activities such as the Pan-Africanism Congresses in Munich enable profound communicative exchange processes between different population and cultural groups because the congresses are targeted at interested people of all origins. The concept of Pan-Africanism entails self-esteem as well as self-help through enlightenment for people of African origin as its key points.