International Diaspora Projects

International Diaspora Projects

Some Diasporan participants at Recordia Festival

The festival is intended to contribute to a culture of peace and coexistence of peoples on African soil, according to the general coordinator of the festival, Mr. Gilbert Goudjo. “The festival seeks to draw the attention of the international community and Beninese leaders to this historic city, which, though it was the point of departure of more slaves than Goree Island (Senegal), is totally forgotten.”

“The primary objective of the Recordia festival is not only to make a culture of peace, to promote indigenous African values as a lever for community development, and to ennoble the image of Africa, but also to put into action a strategy of uniting the communities of Benin, Africa, and the historical African diaspora elsewhere in the world, especially those who came from Benin,” he explained.

“To put it another way, the objective is the promote indigenous African values and to use cultural promotion as a tool for community development, as was initiated in the World Fesitval of Arts and Cultue Vodun or “Ouidah 92”. “It is also a question of launching a resolute crusade against the bad image of Africa which is used to devaluate us in order to better exploit us.” he declared.

During the RECORDIA Festival, there are plans to organize several events, including Community Days with representatives of communities and their Diaspora, an International Day of Brotherhood and Friendship between Africans and other peoples, and a trade and artistic fair.”

Prof. Jackson delivers broadcast journalism award for most innovative programming in the U.S. shared by Simmons College’s Department of Communications to President Kwaku Armah of African University College of Communications in Accra, Ghana.

Dr. Reginald L. Jackson, an international expert in visual communication met with Tom Hodson, director of WOUB Public Media,and granted an interview for Conversations from Studio B at Ohio University, Athens.