Saturday, September 7, 2013

AFRICA’S UNKNOWN WAR

AFRICA’S UNKNOWN WAR

APARTHEID TERROR, CUBA & SOUTHERN AFRICAN LIBERATION

Commemorating the 25th Anniversary of the Battle of Cuito Cuanavale
September 27th & 28th, 2013 University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
Today the African continent has 55-independent coun­tries. While no outside power directly holds sway over African territory (with the exception of French-ruled Djibouti), the issue of African independence is posed as sharply as ever. 2013 will mark the 25th anniversary of a landmark in the struggle for African independence & self-determination: the decisive defeat at Cuito Cuanavale in Angola of the racist armed forces of the apartheid South African state by combined Cuban and Angolan troops. This led to the immediate independence of Namibia, accelerating the end of racist rule in South Africa. These events and Cuba’s extensive & crucial role in the struggle against apartheid South Africa, how­ever, remain virtually unknown in the West. Also for­gotten is the apartheid regime’s regional war of terror, which set the context of Cuba’s intervention. Africa’s Unknown War: Apartheid Terror, Cuba & Southern African Liberation will commemorate the 25th anniver­sary, while elaborating  apartheid’s reign of terrorism.
"The Cuban people hold a special place in the hearts of the people of Africa. The Cuban internationalists have made a contribution to African independence, freedom and justice unparalleled for its principled and selfless character.”- Nelson Mandela, July 26th, 1991.

The two-day symposium, Africa’s Unknown War:
Speakers include:
*Silvio Baró: Renowned scholar on Cuba’s relationship with Africa. He served in Cuba’s internationalist mission to defend Angola from apartheid South Africa’s aggression.
*Piero Gleijeses: Author of the universally acclaimed ground­breaking Conflicting Missions: Havana, Washington and Africa, 1959-76. He is currently writing Visions of Freedom: Havana, Washington and Pretoria in Southern Africa, 1976-91. Gleijeses is Professor of American Foreign Policy, School of Advanced International Studies, Johns Hopkins University.
*Prexy Nesbitt: Internationally recognized scholar, & veteran of the anti-apartheid struggle, Nesbitt is currently working on his memoirs of the southern African liberation struggles, and the extraordinary people he worked with, from Amilar Cabral to Eduardo Mondlane to Graca Machel to Nelson Mandela.
*Jorge Risquet: Cuba’s chief diplomat in Africa from the 1970s to the 1990s, who played a crucial role in the negotia­tions that ended South Africa’s illegal occupation of Namibia.
*John Saul: Internationally acclaimed & honoured scholar on southern Africa & anti-apartheid activist. Professor Emeritus at York University (Canada), Saul is currently working on the book The Thirty Year War for the Liberation of Southern Africa, 1960-1990.
*Isaac Saney: Cuba specialist who teaches at Dalhousie Uni­versity (Canada). Author of the acclaimed, Cuba: A Revolution In Motion, he is currently finishing the book From Soweto to Cuito Cuanavale: Cuba, The War in Angola and the End of Apartheid.
*Various diplomats and representatives of liberation orga­nizations from Angola, Cuba, Namibia and South Africa, Angola, Cuba, Namibia and South Africa.

This is a free event
Location: William Doo Auditorium, 45 Willcocks Street, Toronto
Date:September 27th & 28th
Email to: cubasouthernafrica@gmail.com
Call Isaac Saney at: 902-494-1531 email: isaney@hotmail.com or
Melanie Newton at: 416-978-4054 email: melanie.newton@utoronto.ca or
Miguel san Vincente at 416-538-0889 email: adifferentbooklist@rogers.com


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