U.S-Colombia Summit on Partnerships for Inclusive International Education holds; Khalfani, others attend
The U.S. Embassy in Colombia, the Colombian Ministry of National Education and the Colombia-Challenge Your Knowledge (CCYK) Association have held the “U.S-Colombia Summit: Partnerships for Inclusive International Education” in Cali, Colombia.
Scholars and other stakeholders from United States’ Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCUs) and Colombian Institution representatives participated in the Summit which started on Thursday, August 15, 2024 and rounds off today, Saturday, August 17, 2024.
The Summit, held at the Hotel Dann Carlton, Cali, Valle-Colombia, was meant to bridge the gap between HBCUs in the United States and Afro Colombian institutions of higher education in Colombia, and was addressed by, among others, the Mayor of Cali, Colombia, Álvaro Alejandro Eder Garcés.
A wide array of participants and constituents from across Colombia and the US were present and the Summit endeavored to explore collaborative efforts to increase Afro Colombian participation in the larger society.
The city of Cali has the largest percentage of Afro-Colombians throughout the country and the Summit participants travelled to several Colombian universities to gain first-hand knowledge of the experiences of being an African descendent in Colombia.
The four themes of the conference looked at biodiversity, social and racial justice, ancestral knowledge, and sustainability.
Ambassadors from the United States and Colombia participated in the event while Faculty from 13 HBCUs and several predominantly black institutions in the United States also traveled to Columbia.
The participants also had the opportunity to attend the largest Afro-Colombian music and cultural festival that occurs annually in Cali, called Petronio Alvarez Music Festival.
Dr. Akil Khalfani, the Director of the Africana Institute of Essex County College, Newark, New Jersey, United States of America (USA), who participated in the program, said: “The summit was a great opportunity to build strong networks and develop a more comprehensive understanding of Colombian society, especially as it relates to the Afro-Colombian population.”
Professor Liza Hayes Mathias, Ph.D., who was also at the event said: “The summit gives all Colombian Afro population a unique opportunity to be visible, and to share our stories with US Afro people. Although we are far apart geographically and linguistically, historically, we are one. Our hope is for the U.S. universities to share their experiences and knowledge with us.”
Pictures here show some of the personalities who graced the Summit.
