PAN AFRICAN WRITERS' ASSOCIATION
(PAWA)
16TH INTERNATIONAL AFRICAN WRITERS' DAY
(2008)
PAWA International Seminar
On
Manufacturing the NewAfrican Future:
The Factor of Culture
Theme and sub-themes
Ghana has approached and passed the 50th anniversary of her birth and many more African countries will be marking the same milestone over the next few years. The season of independence about five decades ago, took up in its euphoric wake, the concept of 'manufacturing' national identity, putting culture in the forefront of the conceptualization of a national consciousness. This position was taken in the face of a systematic denigration of African civilizations, cultures and achievements in accumulating knowledge and developing skills.
Soon to over take this imperative was the impetus for economic development which has been marked by failures attributable to its lack of organic relationship with the culture of the people and the absence of a vision for human development.
Additionally the era of globalization has favoured a world view in which regional specificities are erased - a world in breathless motion as multi- directional flows of people, capital, technology, culture and ideas render local, national and regional borders meaningless', (Bergerl997:5). Does this mean that African specificities are irrelevant and indeed inimical to the advancement of the continent or does it mean that Africa will have to work harder than ever to ensure that African culture, technology, and ideas are part of the `multi-directional f tows?
With the above and other factors at play, the realities of 50 years of independence have very much clouded the vision and purpose of the early days. Self doubt about the viability of a collective identity; an effective substitution of creativity for imitation, truncating the possibility of a progressive accumulation of an internally generated knowledge and skills; education, religion and control over information remain deep and troubling areas of concern.
At the same time, goals have been re-set such as the millennium development goals which follow an external impetus; Pan African movements pitched such as the African Renaissance and institutions established such as the African Union. Africa's quest for a new future is a patent responsibility of the current generation.
The question arises as to the role of culture and cultural workers in the `manufacturing of the new African future'. The Pan African Writers' Association is providing a platform at this auspicious conjuncture for writers as cultural workers to take on the vital role of re-envisioning Africa in the context of her own imperatives for advancement taking, account of the global situation. Looking to culture as a fulcrum for development means that this reflection will be incomplete without a powerful and necessary dialogue between writers and policy makers. It is thus envisaged that a select group of Ministers of Culture as well as shapers of development policy in multi-lateral contexts will be invited as participants. The sub themes listed below are to act as a stimulus for a structured discussion on the important matters at hand.
Sub Themes