INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ALIOUNE DIOP, THE MAN AND HIS WORK FACING CONTEMPORARY CHALLENGES May 3-5, 2010 Conference Center of the Hotel Méridien Présid

INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM
ALIOUNE DIOP, THE MAN AND HIS WORK FACING CONTEMPORARY CHALLENGES
May 3-5, 2010
Conference Center of the Hotel Méridien Président, Dakar, Senegal

Argument

The celebration of the hundredth birthday of Alioune Diop fortuitously
coincides with that of the fiftieth anniversary of the independence of
a large number of African countries. The African Community of Culture
is taking the initiative of inviting intellectuals, women and men of
culture to an international symposium on Alioune Diop, the man and his
work facing contemporary challenges.
By way of a very open discussion, the symposium will consider the
numerous dimensions of the work of an original and "universalist"
humanist; a man of dialogue, a pragmatic and committed man; a
freedom-loving African who refused any kind of racism. Alioune Diop it
is all that and a man of his time who summed up the sense of his
commitment to the editorial adventure of Présence Africaine: * As long
as the required standards are met, all articles will be published,
whenever they concern Africa, on condition that they betray neither
our antiracist, anticolonialist stand, nor our solidarity with the
colonized people *. As the first African to practice with rigour the
job of a publisher, he gave rise to talents that, without his
determination, would have undoubtedly been stifled by the implacable
ideological and repressive machine set up by the colonial system.

Thus, in Africa and in its diasporas, literary and scientific
productions of quality could be confirmed in changeable and various
contexts, marked by numerous challenges. That's why, after fifty years
of independence, it is important to review the work of Présence
Africaine in order to draw teachings for the future.

The hundredth birthday of the founder of the Présence Africaine
journal, this incomparable tool which in the service of the creation
of intellectuals in Africa and within the diasporas, forged by a man
who has lived as a model of efficiency and generosity in advancing his
ideal, gives us a lasting opportunity to ponder on the timeliness of
his struggle. By drawing inspiration from an exceptional trajectory,
we must read the past anew, think of the present time and imagine a
future.

The symposium will be held during three days with five thematic panels
including a panel dedicated to youth-centered issues.
- Panel I: Présence Africaine: decolonization and cultural future of
Africa and its diasporas
- Panel II: Is it fitting to talk about Pan-Africanism and about a
Black World today?
- Panel III: The role of the African intellectuals and of the
diasporas in updating Alioune Diop's project.
- Panel IV: The timeliness of the Présence Africaine project in the
production and dissemination of knowledge in the 21st century.
- Panel V: Dialogue with young people. The timeliness of the Présence
Africaine's project and the issue of transmitting memories.

Participation form:

Name Forenames
Title: Rank / Function
Address
Tél: Office Home
Fax: Office
Email:

I wish to make a presentation in Panel n*1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5
Kindly specify the title of your presentation(s):

Kindly forward a 10 to 20 lines abstract, if possible in French,
English, Spanish and Portuguese.
NB. Should you wish to make several presentations, you will have to
fill several forms.
Registration is free.

Kindly fill the form(s) and return to:
mariaida02@hotmail.com & gassamamakhily@yahoo.fr
Deadline: March 15, 2010