Cultural Voice

Contributor: Derefe Chevannes How many times you heard folks referring to Africa, not as a continent but a country? It’s, “are you African?” rather than “are you from Kenya? Or, Uganda? Or, the Congo, even?”         Or, how many images do we see daily with starving kids with big bellies lying in the dirt waiting to die? Or, how many times do we see lions, giraffes or hippos being the image of the African animal? Also, let’s talk honestly about images of corrupt politicians and bankrupted, poor nations that seem to represent all countries on the continent. How many times have we heard those narratives? And, it’s not that they are untrue, but that they are NOT representative of Africa’s vast diversity.                                                                                                                                               This is the problem winner of the Caine Prize for African Writing , Binyavanga Wainaina is having.The 41 year old Kenyan journali

Here are a few things you may not have known about Anush Hayrapetan, Manager of Forgottendiaries.org a project of youth action for change promoting intercultural dialogue and one of Cultural Voice's partners. Anush Hayrapetan: Founder, Forgotten Diaries Nationality: Armenian Anush has won the following awards: Hero of Millennium 2011, 2nd World Summit for Youth Volunteering EUNIC 2010 European youth competition winner,category “Democracy and Politeia” World Youth Summit Award 2010, category “Pursue truth” (Forgotten Diaries project related) Intercultural Innovation award 2010, Marketplace of Ideas of the UNAOC 3rd forum, (Forgotten Diaries project related) World Aware Education Award 2009, North-South Centre of Council of Europe (Forgotten Diaries project related) Favourite City: "My favorite city is Riga, the capital of Latvia. I lived there for almost a year and love it for its unusual charm, warm people and relaxing atmosphere."

Turkey's Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan announced Kurdish indeed will be taught as an elective course, putting an end to all the rumors about the issue 2 days ago in his party’s group assembly in the Parliament. Kurdish had been taught in universities since 2009, however with this step there is a chance to learn it at a younger age in school. In the assembly, RTE said “For decades, Turkey has witnessed times where minorities dominated majorities with its non-democratic decisions and their suppressive implementation. Those who have been ostracized for years are becoming equal citizens and this should not be misinterpreted. What we are witnessing in Turkey right now is a process of normalization and normalization only.” He added that Kurdish will be taught on condition that a certain number is reached. Kurds make up around a fifth of Turkey’s population. Some see this move as a privilege given to a minority, some as a natural right, some as a reaction too little too late. I had m

MIAMI - In the first event of its kind, ICABA Media Holdings, LLC, (ICABA) will celebrate some of South Florida's most accomplished professionals and entrepreneurs with heritage spanning 14 different Caribbean nations. One hundred corporate executives, educators, entrepreneurs, entertainers and community leaders will be honored at the ICABA Salutes South Florida's 100 Most Accomplished Caribbean Americans program, Friday, June 29, 2012, at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts: 201 Southwest 5th Avenue in Ft. Lauderdale. The black-tie event will begin in the Amaturo Theater at 7:30 p.m. with the recognition program and be followed by a reception and traditional Caribbean fete. The signature ICABA coffee table book showcasing their diverse accomplishments will be unveiled at the event and include the honorees' bios, features and advertorials from a noted list of corporate sponsors. "As our nation's gateway to the Caribbean, South Florida has long-been a c

The cosy bookstore Bookophilia, located in Kingston, Jamaica provided the ideal location for the launch of the book 'Pictures From Paradise' on Saturday, June 9, 2012. The book features works of photographers from around the Caribbean and introduces inspiring emerging talent. The evening consisted of great discussion, the signing of books and mingling. 'Pictures From Paradise' captures everyday Caribbean life. Published by Robert & Christopher Publishers, a publishing house in Trinidad & Tobago, the art book is edited by Melaine Archerand Mariel Brown and features a critical essay by O’Neil Lawrence, assistant curator of the National Gallery of Jamaica, 230 images from 18 artists. The book artists are: Gerard Gaskin, Abigail Hadeed, Alex Smailes, Rodell Warner, EwanAtkinson, Marvin Bartley, Terry Boddie, Holly Bynoe, James Cooper, Renee Cox, Gerard Hanson, Nadia Huggins, Marlon James, Roshini Kempadoo, O’Neil Lawrence, Ebony Patterson, Radcliffe Roye an

We're going to be exposing you to what's happening with some of your fav Cultural Icons from around the Globe... 50 Icons, in celebration of Jamaica's 50th year since independence... but don't worry the focus is still Global :) CULTURAL ICON # 50: 'El Général' He is a Tunisian born rapper who is not afriad to speak out. Now with a permanent place in history... we're anxious to see where this goes. 'When I became a rapper, I wasn't looking for love. I was looking to rap for the good of the people.' He took to facebook and the 22 year old Hamada Ben Amor performed the tune “President, Your People Are Dying,”. In the clip originally in Arabic, the rapper speaks firmly and directly to now-former President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali about the unemployment and hunger ravaging the country while Ben Ali’s family lived in excess. This was a brave step for the young rapper, and became fundamental to many of the movements that evolved last year. T

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, celebrating the 40 th Anniversary of the World Heritage Convention launched the Caribbean Training Course in the Preparation of Nomination Dossiers for World Heritage. The Training Course which is being held from the 5 th -15 th June in Kingston, Jamaica serves to build the capacity of cultural agents from across the Caribbean in the preservation of Cultural Heritage. The morning started with a welcome by Dr. Kwame Boafo, Director and UNESCO Representative, UNESCO Kingston Cluster Office for the Caribbean, followed by an address by Mr. Ron Van Oers, Programme Specialist, Special Projects Unit, UNESCO World Heritage Centre. His Excellency Ambassador Hiroshi Yamaguchi, Ambassador of Japan to Jamaica, the Bahamas and Belize gave background to the long history of the Japanese with UNESCO, stating that UNESCO was one of the first international organisations that Japan joined after World War II and that bei

The effortless transitions, the visually stimulating scenes and the strength of well-toned bodies were poignant features of Dance Theatre Harlem’s performance on Saturday, May 26, 2012 at 12:00pm. The show, presented by The Embassy of the United States of America, had the theme “Celebrating the ties that bind 50 years of friendship”.  That message was clear onstage and off. Fate smiled and landed me in a seat just beside the Artistic Director of Dance Theatre of Harlem, Virginia Johnson, and Founding Member of Dance Theatre Harlem, Jamaican Patsy Ricketts. Patsy Ricketts also danced on Jamaica’s Stage as a Principal Dancer of the National Dance Theatre Company for many years. When Johnson sat beside Ricketts it was like a reunion of sisters, that sense of shared history was undeniable.  They laughed through hellos and spoke admiringly of their first interactions with Arthur Mitchell the Co-Founder and Artistic Director Emeritus of DTH.  It was schoolgirl giggles as Rickets aske