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The most violent conflict since World War II, with more than four million dead that’s what we are seeing in Congo. What are Hoosiers doing to help the Congolese create a better future, and what can we do to help them? Come to the International School and find out.

When: Saturday February 9, 3:30-5:30 PM

Where: Where: Blackbox Theatre at the International School of Indianapolis 4330 North Michigan Road Indianapolis

Bongisa means to build or repair in the Congolese language of Lingala, this seminar and Congolese reception hopes to build on the relationship between Indiana and the Congo. The speakers include Ann Marie Thompson (IU Professor) of Giving Back to Africa, Woody Collins (owner of CollinsInformation Service) of Congo Helping Hands, Faustin N’Tala (teacher at the International School of Indiana) of the Waza Alliance for Quality Education and author of History of the Congo Didier Gondola (IUPUI professor).

RSVP to Faustin N’Tala at fntala@isind.org or 317-563-6467

In 1994 the violence in Rwanda spilled over to Zaire, destabilizing the country and resulting in the overthrow of thirty-two year dictator Mobutu Sese Seko in 1997. The new government of the Democratic Republic of Congo was founded under Laurent Kabila, but the violence continued following Kabila’s request to the Rwandan troops to leave the Congo. With the support of Angola, Namibia and Zimbabwe, Kabila was able to hold onto power but only after the country had seen another two years of war. In 2001 Laurent Kabila was assassinated and his son Joseph came to power. The conflict continued not only for political control of the Congo and wider political influence but for control of Congolese resources, such as gold, diamonds, timber and coltan, used in the making of mobile phones. Joseph Kabila organized the first free elections in four decades in 2006 but the continued violence has led Time magazine to call the ongoing violence the “deadliest war in the world.” The conflict has left many social and environmental issues neglected- issues that several Indiana groups are attempting to address. Bongisa means to build or repair in Lingala and this seminar aims to build on the connections that exist between Indiana and the Congo.

For more information and RSVP to Faustin N’Tala at fntala@isind.org or 317-563-6467

Featured will be three local organizations trying to help the people of Congo solve their problems.

• Bloomington-based Giving Back Africa provides education opportunities for groups of Congolese students to meet identifiable needs in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
• Indianapolis-based Congo Helping Hands is a non-profit Christian organization that works in partnership to improve the quality of life in the Democratic Republic of the Congo through human development in health, education, agriculture, and microecomonics.
• Waza Alliance for Quality Education is a new Indiana-based initiative to connect schools in the US with schools in Congo. Waza seeks to provide access to quality education by making available educational expertise, resources and assistance to Congolese schools to encourage students to learn and succeed; and teachers to work with integrity.
• Didier Gondola (IUPUI professor) writes extensively on colonial Africa, popular culture on the continent, the history of slavery and the slave trade, and gender and urban issues in both west and central Africa, he is also the author of The History of the Congo.

Discuss how they are trying to change a particularly unfortunate part of the world, and how we can be part of their efforts. Then enjoy food, music, and friendship from Congo. Check back soon for details.

If this event sounds interesting, check out … Some other interesting and important events about Africa this spring: http://www.provocate.org/archives/category/events/africa/.

Check out Provocation’s recommendations For More information About Congo.

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This entry was posted on Saturday, January 12th, 2008 at 2:55 pm and is filed under Events, Democracy, Women, Violence, Education, Africa, Citizen Diplomacy, Provocate Event, Families and children. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.