Call for Papers 6th International Conference on
Africa Unity for Renaissance (AUR) May 22-25, 2016
UNISA CAMPUS, Pretoria, South Africa
Theme The Knowledge, Spiritual and Struggle Heritage for Re-imagining Innovative Africa - Debunk the negative narrative that Africans have made no substantial contribution to science, knowledge, history and civilisation
- Systematically document African knowledge creation, spiritual and struggle heritage and draw relevance for African structural transformation by employing grounded and context-specific approaches and conceptual and theoretical frames
- Relate how knowledge, spiritual and struggle heritages can change the current fragmented governance, institutions, leadership and systems into a united and robust pan-African direction
- Look back to glorious achievements of struggles, knowledge and spirituality of Africa in order to move ahead and re-imagine the continent as competent, independent and innovative continent.
- Appropriate and apply positive data and history to help deal with and respond to various global influences that Africa faces from knowledge transfer instead of knowledge creation; reliance on donor aid; failure at achieving the MDGs and now moving to the SDGs
- Provide a forum for networking on Africa Liberation Month by opening the opportunity for vast education using Africa Expo Day so that all Africans globally can learn to find shared Pan-African solutions where the 54 states currently can learn to develop a united voice.
Background The rejuvenated African Union was launched in Durban on 9 July 2002: African leaders agreed to chart a new future for the continent. New institutions such as the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), Peace and Security Council and the Pan-African Parliament were established. These notwithstanding, Africa continue to depend on aid from the so-called developed economies... African leaders have, unfortunately, further deferred the unity of the continent to 2063! And 2063 is indeed too far! Africa remains in a precarious position in the global order and many challenges remain.
Today more than ever, Africans need to look back, in order to successfully go forward. What do Africans see when they look back? They are often overwhelmed by the 500 years of de-humanisation and destruction. Annually, African Liberation Month of May should provide the time when Africans learn to appreciate, recognise, and promote the positive and constructive African knowledge, spirituality and struggle heritage. Who in Africa knows that Africa is the origin of humanity? Who in Africa knows that Africa has made many discoveries in mathematics, astronomy, science and technology? Who knows Africa is the origin of universities. It is about time positive narratives replace dominant negative narratives by resurrecting the glorious and rich knowledge, spiritual and struggle heritages. The more Africans learn to unite and stand up together, the more the opportunity will be opened to all Africans to resurrect the positive struggles, knowledge and spiritual heritage data to bring about constructive transformation and futures.
Africans have invented spirituality and religion. African spirituality is very holistic. Truth and justice, honesty and scholarship are expressed by Ma'at. Both Ma'at and Ubuntu provide the spiritual foundation to life for all humanity in the world. The Ubuntu philosophy is built on the foundation of: "I am because you are". Ubuntu sends the message that Africans are very associational in building human relations. Humanity will be saved by values that originated from Africa. Africa radiates the spiritual landmark and frontier of the world. This spiritual heritage must be resurrected to help decolonise and reconstitute all the systems, incentives, capabilities, leadership, institutions and governances of Africa as a whole.
2015 marks the 70s year of the 5th Pan-African Congress, the 60s year of the Bandung Conference and the 70s year of the birth of the post-war United Nations. The relevance of the African struggles in varied forms from the 16th century to the period of political de-colonisation in the 1960s to the African quest for realising full freedom remains to be explored. Little is known about the rich Africa struggle heritage let alone the need to draw lessons to build a better African future. It is urgent that the constructive and positive heritage of liberation struggles from every part of Africa be excavated, recorded, studied and resurrected in order to re-educate and wean generations of Africans to know that Africans have continued to sacrifice throughout the over 500 years of conquest, destruction, slavery, and subjection to varied forms of oppression, exploitation and plunder. The glorious past, particularly of early Africa and resistance to numerous imperial advances, and the stolen legacy should be recovered. One example of the successful resistance against colonialism is the battle of Adwa in 1896 - The Ethiopians chased out Italians in a humiliating defeat when Italians attempted to conquer Ethiopia. Another example of the successful resistance against colonialism is the Anglo-Zulu War, Impi YaseSandlwana (Battle of Isandlwana), which culminated to another humiliating defeat of the English by the Zulu nation. Among memorable moments that Africans should celebrate is the first Haitian republic declared in 1804. Between 1801and 1802, Napoléon Bonaparte sent the largest colonial venture of his reign: the Leclerc expedition to remove the famous revolutionary Toussaint Louverture from office and possibly bring back slavery. Napoleon's huge army was defeated under the leadership of General Toussaint Louverture and his lieutenant, Jean-Jacques Dessalines, who remained the most revered historical figures in Haiti to this day. The African anti-colonial struggle is global and continues to remain so until Africans are fully liberated everywhere on this planet.
In 2016, it will be 120 years of Adwa's African decisive Victory. Like the war against the British fought in South Africa until 1986, the Adwa African Victory against colonialism and for African liberation took place on March 2, 1896 as indicated earlier. It has come to be recognized as one of the most significant African liberation struggles that took place during the time of the European Scramble for Africa. The Adwa Victory reinforced Ethiopianism and Ethiopianism reinforced pan-Africanism, and both Ethiopianism and Pan-Africanism reinforced the Africa Renaissance. They are one in three and three into one. The best highway of African liberation is symbolized by the successful resistance of the 1896 Adwa Victory. Africans must value and cherish their history. The Adwa Victory has to live on until Africa is fully free and united. The lessons from Adwa Victory make Africans never to give up resisting all varieties of injustice that Africans are still subjected to. The African spirit of liberation will continue to shine ever brighter by remembering all the liberation struggles that the great African Adwa Victory represents.
It is envisaged that the Patron of the Thabo Mbeki African Leadership Institute, former President H.E Thabo Mbeki, would address the 6th Africa Unity for Renaissance Conference with a focus on 120 Years of Adwa's African liberation victory. Other eminent people would also address the conference.
Website Abstracts Deadline is January 15 (this has been extended to January 31, 2016). Full papers must be submitted by April 25, 2016. Abstracts, Papers, Posters and Projects Abstracts for full papers, posters and project presentations will be accepted and will be reviewed. Abstracts and full papers will be double blind peer reviewed. Abstracts must be between 200 and 500 words. Please denote abstract category upon submission, full paper, project or poster. |
