FR EE
Africans in Scandinavia I No.8
Dr Rashidi – Uncovering the African past PEOPLE & EVENTS
FASHION & BEAUTY
Grow a Fro PEOPLE & EVENTS
What we lost in empire BUSINESS
Nigeria-Sweden summit in Stockholm OPINION
How to be streetsmart in Cameroon
Skandik Afrik no. 8
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FR EE
Africans in Scandinavia I No.8
Dr Rashidi – Uncovering the African past PEOPLE & EVENTS
FASHION & BEAUTY
Grow a Fro
PEOPLE & EVENTS
What we lost in empire BUSINESS
Nigeria-Sweden summit in Stockholm OPINION
How to be streetsmart in Cameroon
Skandik Afrik no. 8
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Publisher Skandik Afrik Chief editor Kenneth Fagbe kenneth@skandikafrik.com
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Contents PEOPLE AND EVENTS
Sales Manager Gloria Matuka gloria@skandikafrik.com
Black Coffee............................................... 9 Uncovering the African past.................... 10 What we Lost in Empire........................... 23
Editor Lesley-Ann Brown
BUSINESS
Contributing editors Nandi Zulu, Elina Bratt Lejring To advertise contact: Kenneth Fagbe +46 76 210 17 66 Kenneth@skandikafrik.com Photography Short Spin Image, Kamoja media, Emilie Bernt Haag, Gaby Manzur Graphic Design Wayne Butler Contact Skandik Afrik Delfingatan 3c 414 75 GĂśteborg, Sweden Tel: +46 76 210 17 66 info@skandikafrik.com www.skandikafrik.com facebook.com/skandikafrik twitter.com/skandikafrik
Opportunities in Africa by Dagens Industri....................................................... 4 Nigeria-Sweden summit in Stockholm..... 14
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MUSIC & ENTERTAINMENT
Diamond Platnumz in Helsinki................... 7 Upcoming Events in Scandinavia............... 7 FASHION & BEAUTY
Grow a Fro................................................. 8 Learning to Love My Hair........................ 18 OPINION
Alexander Bengtsson - death of a Swedish politician.................................... 16 What people of African descent should know............................................. 19 How to be street-smart in Cameroon...... 20 LISTINGS
Addresses & phone numbers of all African embassies in Nordic countries.... 22
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Founded in 2011, Skandik Afrik keeps you updated and informed about Africans living in Scandinavia (Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland and Iceland) via our coverage of events, issues and personalities of interest to the Afro-Scandinavian community. Keep up to date by visiting: www.skandikafrik.com
G R APHIC DESIGN & C OM M UN IC AT I O N Professional graphic design services with over 20 years in the business. Let us help you with advertising, brochures, magazines, logotypes and web in both English and Swedish. www.butlerdesign.se +46 76 824 98 12 Skandik Afrik no. 8
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BUSINESS I Opportunities in Africa by Dagens Industri The 3rd annual Africa summit organised by Dagens industri in Stockholm was a think tank for most of the major Swedish companies that have long business relations with Africa like ABB and Ericsson on what investors should know about business opportunities in Africa; the mistakes to avoid and analysis about the region which was delivered through lecture at the summit. African Ambassadors from Botswana, Ethiopia, Kenya and Rwanda revealed the business opportunities in their respective countries. “There is no one Africa. There are countries in Africa that are stable, there are countries that are rich, there are countries that are affected by absolute war and poverty while others are run by dictators. There are those in democracy, some are dependent on natural resources and others run more diverse economies. So we cannot speak of homogeneous Africa but heterogeneous sub-sahara Africa. If we look at the long term goals, there can not be anything but a successful continent. Africa in terms of the population is growing and is getting larger and looking at specific sectors and countries the trend is favourable. Even though there could be lots of issues that need to be solved like reduction in extreme poverty, increase
Karin from dagens industry with Per-Eric from Swedish Foreign Affairs.
in standard of education, reduction in corruption and attention to security issues, situations are different from country to country. There are 54 countries in Africa and this summit will focus on Business opportunities in Africa and what sectors to target. 4
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Welcome to the third annual African Summit of Dagens industry” – Opening remark by Karin Grunberg Woloddarski. Mr Per-Eric Högberg, Africa Director in Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs explained in his presentation entitled African is experiencing rapid growth and development- is Sweden coping? how some of the factors that made information about Africa hard to access in the past such as few journalists or writers were now more readily available to write about Africa, and that there were very few Africans living in Sweden compared to the present 21st century where we have a globalist world, where everyone can see, hear and interact with each other. The world has changed and on that basis when it comes to Africa we need to check our facts. Based on his over twenty years of business experience in Africa, he gave these pieces of advice to the audience on what to think about Africa: • The image of Africa is changing because the reality has already changed. • Africa is not one, its a continent with 54 countries. • Its very important to have a long term business plan. • Go to Africa and see for yourself. Ambassadors from Botswana, Ethiopia, Kenya and Rwanda spoke about business opportunities in different sectors in their respective countries:
Ambassador Woinshet Tadesse
Ms Åsa, Mr Arlindo and Ms Tidale.
What Investors should know about business opportunities in Africa
Mr. Tobias head of Africa Program, ABB.
Ms Juliet.
Anna, head of CosumerLab at Ericsson. Skandik Afrik no. 8
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BUSINESS I Opportunities in Africa by Dagens Industri
Kenya Ambassador to Sweden, Ambassador Dr. Joseph K.Sang said agriculture is a key area for Swedish companies to make input. There is also opportunity in green energy as a key area because of the Kenyan government resolve to produce 3000MW solar energy, geothermal energy, wind energy. Other areas are ICT, mining, wholesale retail and waste management. The Rwandan Ambassador to Sweden, Ambassador Christine Nkulikiyinka, said all the sectors mentioned by the Kenyan Ambassador were also open to investors in Rwanda with additional opportunities in real estate and tourism where the government is looking into partnerships with Swedish investors. Botswana’s Ambassador to Sweden, Ambassador Lameck Nthekela said he would rather share his approach on the opportunities available to investors in Botswana from the Southern African regional level because Botswana has land locked boundaries with four other countries like Namibia to the northwest, South Africa to the south, and southeast, Zimbabwe to the northeast and Zambia to the north. Therefore investment in Botswana will facilitate investment throughout the Southern African region. He continued that Botswana is currently in need of about 900MW energy distribution to meet the projected amount for 2016 energy. There are opportunities for transport and logistics in areas of rail infrastructures within Botswana and the southern region. There is a railway line and a bridge that need to be connected between Botswana and Zambia worth 4 billion USD and more opportunity 6
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in solar sectors because two thirds of the land in Botswana is desert which is good for generation of solar energy. The Ethiopian Ambassador to Sweden, Ambassador Woinshet Tadesse added the Health sector in her contribution, apart from aforementioned points above, as another area the investors could look at. Ethiopia is a big market to invest in because of its population density. Despite multiples of business opportunities in Africa, Ambassador Woinshet said perceptions and misconceptions about Africa on issues like corruption, security, and all
other negative vices overshadow the opportunities that abound on the continent and encouraged Swedish investors to visit Ethiopia. Tobias Becker, the head of Africa Program in ABB in his presentation called, The Key to Success, emphasized the importance of thorough research of the country in Africa the investors are interested in and it’s economy, along with a trip there to experience it. When we (ABB) industrial companies look at Africa, look at the population of people from the continent, 75% are younger than 25 years. l speak of a continent that
spends 3 billion dollars per day. He believes the increase in demand for commodities due to population growths and the fact that business language for fifty four countries are just four which are English, French, Portuguese and Arabic. This makes business easier when compared to Europe that has around 23 languages. Anna Selander the head of ConsumerLab at Ericsson focused her presentation on the voice of the consumer. The African consumer population in sub sahara Africa is under 20 years compared to Sweden’s 41 years and 67% of these people live in rural areas with a strong tendency to migrate to the urban cities (the World Bank report 2014). She also presented data on varying usage of media, usage of financial services in sub saharan Africa and method of cash payments. There were other speakers like Marie Englesson, CEO and Founder of Atsoko, who shared her business experience in Tanzania with the audience while Peter Stein made his presentation on West Africa, analyzing the economy situation in Nigeria, Ghana and Ivory Coast. The summit was rounded up by Isabella Lövin’s presentation on energy and sustainable development in Africa. In order to highlight the opportunities of a new diverse and dynamic market such as Africa, more summits like this is an essential avenue to get the latest insight about business opportunities in one of the world’s fastest growing continents.
Diamond Platnumz I MUSIC & ENTERTAINMENT
Crowd went wild at Diamond Platnumz concert in Finland The crowd that came to see Diamond Platnumz concert went wild when he took the stage at Teatteri Forum in Helsinki, Finland.
Upcoming African events in Scandinavia
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P Afrikansk Festivel KA NS ME GE 28 May, 12:00-21:00 R FÖ YTE TB TU World Village Festival Nørrebrohallen, ELL R LT U KU 28-29 May, 11:00-18:00 Bragesgade 8, Copenhagen, Denmark Kaisaniemi Park and Railway Square, Helsinki, Finland Gävle Moter Afrika 4th June, 16:00 Gasklockorna Gävle,Sweden
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Waaw Waaw Afro Jam 28-29 May, 13:00 Föreningsgatan 72, Malmö, Sweden
Fest Afrika Reykjavik Date: 15th-17th July, 17:00 Skólavörðustígur 12 Reykjavík, Iceland Nordic Africa Days 23-24 September, 08:30- 16:00 Location: Villavägen 6, Uppsala, Sweden
Mega African BBQ 2 July, 14:00 Fælledparken, Copenhagen, Denmark
Miss African Crown 30 September, 20:00 Palmfältsvägen 1, Stockholm, Sweden
Do you know of an African event that should be here?
Or have you any tips for improving the magazine?
Send us a mail: info@skandikafrik.com Skandik Afrik no. 8
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FASHION & BEAUTY I Grow a Fro
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Grow a Fro
n 27th February the Grow A Fro event was held in Hallunda Folketshus, Stockholm. It is the largest event that focuses on African hair to date in Sweden. About 200 people attended this free event. Most of the event attendees were women of African descent, although men and children were also present. The event focused on hair care for Afro hair and education on how to care for these hair types. The presenters were Nandi Zulu from the blog Hair of Heritage, Lydia Lusambo Lemandi from the blog So Kinky & Nappy and Sara Abdu from the brand new company Lebay. Along with the presentations there was also a Q&A with a panel consisting of bloggers and vloggers: Yaya Foon, Lydia Lusambo Lemandi, Tina Sarafina and Nandi Zulu. The first 79 event attendees received goodie bags with a mixture of products sponsored by companies like Alma of Sweden, Blackbuss Hair ‘N’ Care, Lush Sweden, Djaaber, Rädda Barnen and Jessicurl Europe. There were also a few lucky winners who received a mixture of exciting prizes. It was an event filled with smiles, laughter and in-depth questions.
The event attendees enjoyed home baked goodies and the opportunity to buy products from the newly established Lebay that launched their product line at the event.
AFROBOOST
Sauda Luzze started the non-profit Afroboost approximately a year ago. She had been a part of the project Afrosvenska Akademin [the AfroSwedish Academy] which is a leadership training program for Swedish youth with their roots in Africa. The idea behind Afroboost is to be a discussion group for youth of African origin to speak about different topics such as internalized racism, among others. The idea came from
Sauda encountering two teenage boys in Botkyrka that spoke very badly about Black women. Sauda confronted the boys and they shared their thoughts. She later told Raymond Peroti about this who suggested she start a group. Sauda met African youth in Botkyrka and Alby and got them together. They now meet once a month and speak about different issues. The group consists of 20 people, the majority are girls and five boys. Afroboost decided to host the Grow A Fro event because they realized education about hair care for afro hair was needed. One of the group members made a short film (which was shown at the Grow A Fro event) where she stated she would never wear her hair in it’s natural state because it’s not possible to care for afro hair. Sauda realized that there was a need for an event because even though the information is available online it’s not the same as being at an event where you can speak to people. The event went on to be a greater success than anticipated. Afroboost plans to create more events like this in the future. Article and photograph by: Nandi Zulu
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Black coffee I PEOPLE % EVENTS
Black coffee and a megafon to fight segregation and
repression through laws and judicial systems
S
weden’s society vices that emanate from segregation, repression, political and juridical injustices prevalent among the immigrants made suburb organizations in Stockholm to partner with social movements in New York and Johannesburg at the seminar jointly organized by Black Coffee and Megafonen at Husby Träff in Stockholm, to discuss social movement and its importance on democracy and establishing more socially, culturally and politically sustainable cities. Among the invited guests were civil right activists and lawyers from the United States of America, Carl Williams. A researcher and immigrant rights advocate from South Africa, Aline Mugisho was one of the speakers at the seminar. The Husby resident law student, Rami Al-Khamisi opened the seminar with a newly written report on ways social movement interact with progressive lawyers to achieve important social and political objectives. He also emphasized how law can strengthen people’s situation, the civil society and challenge existing social structures. Aline Mugisho narrated her struggle and frustration as a Congolese migrant living in Johannesburg, South Africa
through violence but rather through physical presence by showing solidarity, creating an agenda and supporting social movements that fight for just and equal societies. The seminar ended with a panel discussion which was moderated by Araia Ghirmai Sebhatu, founder of Black Coffee where the audience was able to ask questions. and the strategies that she developed in order to survive the volatile environment while fighting for access to her rights. The processes led her to a job as an editor for an English tabloid paper and later as a public relations officer for African Diaspora Forum (ADF), in South Africa. The ADF is an umbrella organization of migrants living in South Africa created in the aftermath of the 2008 xenophobic attacks specifically to work for an integrated society that is free of xenophobia and all other kinds of discrimination. The organization also creates awareness against stigmatization of blacks in South Africa, give legal advice on proper integration for new immigrants and campaign against xenophobia.
THE ORGANIZATION ALSO CREATES AWARENESS AGAINST STIGMATIZATION OF BLACKS IN SOUTH AFRICA, GIVE LEGAL ADVICE ON PROPER INTEGRATION FOR NEW IMMIGRANTS AND CAMPAIGN AGAINST XENOPHOBIA
Carl Williams spoke about human rights, resistance against oppression relating his experience on the Black Lives Matters-movement in USA. He also touched on other movements within the society that organize themselves within USA’s poor city districts with the aim of achieving an increased civil rights influence, human rights and a just resource distribution. He advised the audience at the seminar on how to get effective civil rebellion against social injustices not Skandik Afrik no. 8
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PEOPLE & EVENTS I Uncovering the African past
Uncovering the African past There is no question that Africa is the Mother Continent. It is the birthplace of modern humanity. If we did not know it before, the genetic studies of the past thirty years have surely confirmed this. Of course, a lot of people, even Black people, find this impossible to accept. And I think the reason for this is our bias against Africa. We are taught, systematically, from the beginning, to be anti-African. And I have found this to be the case even in Africa. So many of us would prefer to think of ourselves as anything but an African. Even myself, as a youth, because my mother’s mother was Cherokee, I thought of myself as a Native American. Yes, even me. But as I grew and learned about Africa and studied Africa my pride in my African identity soared like an eagle. So, today, when I hear our people say that they are not African, I don’t get angry with them. I feel sorry for them and pray that one day they cease to be content with the food of chickens and see themselves as the mighty eagles that they truly are. We are African people. Get comfortable with it. And learn to love your African self. – Dr. Runoko Rashidi, Historian & Anthropologist. 10
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any may know of Dr. Rashidi from their own personal, respective journeys in attempting to understand the context of our existence from a historical, cultural and social perspective. Due to the fact that many of us have been effected by colonisation and/or slavery – there tends to be a disconnect between what we know about ourselves and the past that we are, inevitably linked to. This disconnect is oftentimes a result of a purposeful erasure and the only way to heal these severed ties is through conscientious, active investigation. For many who embark on this journey – Dr. Runoko Rashidi emerges with the likes of Ivan Van Sertima, John Henrik Clarke, Asa G. Hilliard, Edward Scobie, John G. Jackson, Jan Carew and Yosef benJochannan – all men who have created work in a field where there has all too often been a gaping hole; and whose work is founded on their authentic love for people of African descent and the various cultures and influences that can be attributed to us. It is important for a people to have a history, a unifying story; and it is important that we shine light on the men and women who ensure that we have this legacy to pass on to our descendants. Dr. Rashidi is a wellknown and respected anthropologist and historian whose focus is unearthing the many facets of our history and culture throughout the world, specifically although not exclusively, outside of the context of slavery and colonization. “We are so much more than that (slavery and colonisation),” Dr. Rashidi told the audience, which was comprised of all facets of the African diaspora– from the Caribbean, various countries in Africa and here in Europe. Dr. Rashidi has travelled to about 112 countries in the past 17 years, and has lectured in over 60 countries. “I have said it a lot of times and I say again right now. Africa is not named after Scipio Africanus. Scipio Africanus was the Roman general who engineered the defeat of Carthage,
which was in the country we now know as Tunisia. The name Scipio Africanus means “conqueror of Africa.” That alone implies that the term Africa was in use before his time. We should stop repeating such a foolish and inaccurate and insulting comment. Whatever the name Africa means and wherever the word comes from, it was not named after a Roman general.” The audience gathered on Friday April 15th to hear Dr. Runoko Rashidi speak in Copenhagen, Denmark for a historic visual presentation about the global presence of people of African descent around the world. The event was hosted by the Afro Empowerment Centre for Unity (AEC). Victor Bennett, AEC’s vice president and co-founder, reminded the audience of the historic significance of the event. “Often we don’t have this (history of people of African descent) in our education system and this creates a conflict within us and among us because we forget who we are. Sometimes we forget to say, ‘this is my brother’ or ‘this is my sister’. We forget to reach out. We forget to build that network because our network has been attacked. So it is a great historic day. Each one of you who are here today, it really means a lot to AEC, but more importantly it will really mean a lot to you. We’re all going to make an oath today, we’re going to take care of each other, and we’re going to take this lecture away with us and contemplate it and start a new day in Copenhagen, Denmark for PADs (people of African descent) and we can do this if we believe.” “What you do for yourself, in large measure, depends on what you think of yourself. So if you think that you have no worthy history, that you come from nothing, you will tend to act that out. But if you think that you come from greatness, you will aim for the stars.”
WHAT YOU DO FOR YOURSELF, IN LARGE MEASURE, DEPENDS ON WHAT YOU THINK OF YOURSELF. SO IF YOU THINK THAT YOU HAVE NO WORTHY HISTORY, THAT YOU COME FROM NOTHING, YOU WILL TEND TO ACT THAT OUT. BUT IF YOU THINK THAT YOU COME FROM GREATNESS, YOU WILL AIM FOR THE STARS.
Dr. Rashidi presented “The Global African Presence” – a photographic journey of people of African descent he has witnessed and documented in his extensive travels. This visual Skandik Afrik no. 8
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PEOPLE & EVENTS I Uncovering the African past presentation covered the four corners of the globe and included his travels to Egypt, Mexico, India and throughout Africa. Dr. Rashidi spoke about the dispersal of Africans in ancient and modern times and why we should be invested in history. “How can we know where we are going if we don’t know where we have been?” Dr. Rashidi covered such areas as the importance of African history, the geography of Africa, the history of Africa, and the dispersal and movements of Africans throughout the world in modern and ancient times. He told the audience about his philosophy of history. “What you do for yourself depends on what you think of yourself. What you think of yourself depends on what you know of yourself. What you know of yourself depends on what you have been told. So if you are told that you don’t have a history or that you come from the jungle or that you come from a cotton plantation you will act that out. But if you believe you come from greatness, you would act that out.” Citing the power of images, Dr. Rashidi began his visual presentation with an image of Malcolm X and reminded the audience of his transformation from Malcolm Little, Detroit Red to Malcolm X and later
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to el-Hajj Malik el-Shabazz. This transformation could never have happened if he did not read about the forgotten histories of African people. Dr. Runoko touched upon the Prison Industrial Complex, the high rate of murder within Black communities and general devaluation of Black life insisting that if we knew who we were, this would not be able to take place. “If you don’t know where you are going, any road will take you there.” He continued to speak of Dr. John Henrik Clark and his mantra of “Pan Africanism or perish,” and other scholars who paved the way to repairing our histories such as Ivan Van Sertima, John Henrik Clarke, Asa G. Hilliard, Edward Scobie, John G. Jackson, Jan Carew and Yosef ben-Jochannan, all scholars whose work is necessary in our collective understanding of who we are as a people. “Egypt is in Africa. It has always been there. I have been to Egypt 22 times and it has been in Africa every time. And the people who were responsible for Pharaonic Egypt were African people = Black people. In fact, the African name for Ancient Egypt is Kemet = The Black City or the Black Community. The relationship between Africa and Africans with Ancient Egypt is similar to that of Europe and Europeans to ancient Greece and
Rome. Our discussions of Egypt should not imply that we are ignoring the rest of Africa. We are simply focusing on what is arguably the most spectacular part of Africa and a part of Africa that has been artificially detached from our Motherland.” “Loving yourself does not mean hating others,” he reminded his audience, who sat in revered silence to hear him speak. His images, from all over the world, flashed above a white background, their pictures telling stories of perseverance, creativity and endurance. “In Africa,” Dr. Rashidi said, “were the first people, the first place to domesticate fire, build boats, mathematics, art, were the first to bury their dead, compose and play music, clothes, philosophy, charting the stars.” “All of the modern religions”, he reminded us,“came from Africa.” Dr. Rashidi spoke about the general perception of Africa as being, ‘poverty, disease and wild animals,’ and that learning the truth about Africa begins a process of seeing yourself in a different light. “This type of knowledge ought to be taught in schools,” he continued, “Being an African is the greatest thing I can possibly be. I’m so proud of that.” He spoke about the carving up of Africa, of colonial powers that have looted and raped the continent. “Africa is not poor, Africa is rich!”
Speaking afterwards about the event Victor Bennett said, “It is rare Afrodanes and People of African Descent living in Denmark get a chance to hear a lecture which reviews our global presence let alone by a renowned scholar with over 40 years field research such as Dr. Runoko Rashidi. Afro Empowerment Center aims to do cultural events such as these which help us examine and reinforce a positive identity in the decade of People of African Descent. In such political times where we are constantly being defined as foreign, associated with colonial borders and our right to self identification is being trampled on by freedom of speech advocates who really advocate for freedom of hate, it is vital People of African Descent and Afrodanes call on our elders scholars who have been documenting our presences and contributions globally to remind us of how much we have given to this world and ultimately how much we truly mean to the fabric of humanity.” Reflections on Dr. Runoko Rashidi’s historic visual presentation in Copenhagen, Denmark. Written by: Lesley-Ann Brown
Skandik Afrik had an opportunity to speak with Dr. Rashidi afterwards to ask him a few questions. 1. You have dedicated a great portion of your life to travel – can you talk about the role this has played in your life and how this has impacted your worldview? It has played a fundamental role. There is nothing like seeing things first-hand, whether in museums or actual communities of people. And once you have seen it no one can ever take that away from you. 2. You have seen and met Black people all over the world. What do you see our major obstacles being in terms of selfdetermination? Lack of consciousness to a large extent, but also a profound lack of organization. No matter how angry you are about injustice it is difficult to challenge it without proper organization. 3. What are some of the thoughts traveling to Copenhagen inspired for you? The tragedy of Africa. The fact that we live in all of these places that are for the most part not very welcoming for us. 4. What advice do you have for Blacks living in predominantly white spaces? Try to get out asap!
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BUSINESS I Nigeria-Sweden summit
Nidoe holds Nigeria-Sweden summit in Stockholm
N
igerians in Diaspora organization in Europe (NIDOE) is the umbrella Diaspora organization for all Nigerian professionals across Europe. As the interface between the Federal Government of Nigeria and Nigerian residents in Europe, NIDOE engages in Foreign Direct Investment to Nigeria as well as scientific, cultural or other areas of interest for the country. In line with the aim of the new government led by President Buhari in Nigeria, NIDOE held Nigerian- Sweden Business Summit as part of this year’s activities of the Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Stockholm themed “A Collaborative Platform for Sustainable Business Relationship” which focused on investment, partnership and other issues relating to Foreign Directs Investment and how it affects large and small scale business in Nigeria.
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In his opening speech, the Chairman of the NIDOE organization, Dr. George Ahamefula Manuwuike emphasized numerous benefits of NIDO and the significance of its collaborative partnership between Sweden and Nigeria. The Social, Welfare & Events Director of NIDO Europe, Dr. Camillus Konkwo, who was the moderator of the Nigerian- Sweden Business Summit and NIDO Europe AGM, glorified the summit as one that identified Swedish solution providers willing to invest in Nigeria and solve challenges impeding the advancement of Nigeria. Dr. Camillus Konkwo stated that the summit has opened the Scandinavian business corridor and inspired Sweden to explore the most attractive business destination in Africa – Nigeria. He expressed his appreciation for the excellent idea and hard work of NIDO
Sweden chapter led by the Chairperson Mr. Ernest Ngadiuba. Charge´ D’Affaires at the Nigeria Embassy Stockholm, Mrs. Jane Ada Ndem in her presentation spoke about democracy and transition challenges, opportunities and the way forward. She emphasized the importance of the last transition of power in Nigeria which has boosted the confidence of investors in Nigeria. She said -the goal of the new administration is to attract more investors to Nigeria as demonstrated during the recent visit of President Buhari to Germany, France and lately India. Furthermore, she highlighted the resolve of the current government to fight corruption. The President and the Vice president demonstrated exemplary leadership by declaring their assets in accordance with the code of conduct law. The Charge´d’Affairs complied
with the call on all public office holders to follow suit by declaring her assets when she travelled to Nigeria recently. On the current challenges in Nigeria, she reiterated that it is a window of opportunities for the Swedish investors to invest in areas like mining and agriculture in line with priority of the government to reduce over dependency on crude oil. She highlighted further investment opportunities in power, energy, education health, ICT and infrastructure and asked more Swedish companies to join the league of Ericsson, Volvo, ABB, Tetra Pak, Atlas Copco etc. in taking advantage of the over 170 million Nigerian with 60% under 40 years implying low cost of labour in a country that is the gateway to the West African market. Malin Dacke, a representative of Chamber Trade Sweden highlighted the
functional oversight of her organization to the audience which includes enabling international trade with strong emphasis on Africa. They also do policy advocacy and help corporate members to achieve their foreign business interests and make their country more competitive on the international market. The Swedish West African Chambers of Commerce and Culture (SWACC), led by Chairperson Johan Stenberg, reiterate their role in facilitating trade between Sweden and West African nations, Some of the solution providers that showcased their products were Solvatten AB, (water purification product) Againity (waste to energy or heat to energy product) both very highly needed product for the Nigeria market. The NIDO Sweden Chapter in a rare quest for fulfillment in NIDO
objective as a vehicle for foreign direct investment, cash in on the opportunity of the highest assembly of the organization in Europe to create awareness and significance to the AGM, in the beautiful city of Stockholm being described as the Business hub of Scandinavia. The evening was punctuated by a Gala night of dining and dance in the African style of hospitality. The Nigeria- Sweden summit was organized by NIDO Europe in collaboration with Chamber Trade Sweden, Nigeria Embassy and Swedish West Africa Chamber of Commerce and Culture (SWACC).
Photography: Short Spin Image
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OPINION I Alexander Bengtsson A Swedish politician was found dead in a burnt-out car. Alexander Bengtsson was a centre moderate politician and high-profile anti-racism campaigner. According to The Local (Sweden) he is suspected to have died about a week earlier and the police is suggesting that there are no indications of foul play. However, even a cursory glance at Bengtsson’s blog reveals a young man who expressed being harassed and in a state of distress.
Alexander Bengtsson:
Did racism in Sweden WITH WORDS AND ARGUMENTS WE CAN “CRUSH” COMMUNISM. BUT REMEMBER. VIOLENCE IS NEVER OKAY, AND AFA, PEF AND RKU SHOULD LEARN THIS
According to the Local article cited above, “The 20-year-old politician reported earlier this month that he had been the victim of a knife attack at his home. However police said they did not presently suspect anyone else was involved in his death.” There is a report that it is possible that Bengtsson falsely reported being harassed, a charge that he has denied.
His last post, dated March 8th 2016 condemns Swedish organisations such as SUF, AFA and RKU who has according to the post publicly declared a violent overthrow of the government. In the post he distances himself from any kind of violence and equates these organizations as being as large a threat as the Nazi party or ISIL. He ends this post saying, “With words and arguments we can “crush” Communism. But remember. Violence is never okay, and AFA, PEF and RKU should learn this.” The one response to that blog post reads, “Hej! Du talar väldig förtalande om organisationer utan att ha bevis till vad du hävdar. exempelvis anklagelserna mot RKU. Och självklart så behöver du själv stå för fysisk våld när staten, polisväsen, säpo är de som utövar våldsmonopolen mot vissa organisationer som du anser inte ska finnas trots att det finns föreningsfrihet(Du verkar ha glömt bort detta). Krossa alla borgerliga förtryckare! Er tid är kommen!” Hi! You speak so strongly about organisations without having evidence for what you are talking about. for
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RKU SAYS STRAIGHT OUT THAT THEY WANT TO USE VIOLENCE TO TAKE POWER IN SWEDEN AND CARRY OUT A REVOLUTION.
kill him? example, the accusation against RKU. And of course you stand for physical violence when the state, the police, Security Services are the ones who exercise the monopoly on violence against certain organisations which you believe should not exist despite there being freedom of association (You seem to have forgotten this). Crush all bourgeois oppressors! Your time has come! Previous posts reveal that he believed himself to be misquoted by various media. On March 1, 2016 he writes, “RKU says straight out that they want to use violence to take power in Sweden and carry out a revolution. This cannot be construed any other way than a pronounced threat to Swedish democracy and against Sweden as a nation, and should be taken very seriously. Communism is for me as bad as the Nazis, in essence, the two approaches are very similar to each other. We have to protect democracy, and all of us who are described as “capitalists” must be able to feel safe
in our own country. I consider therefore that RKU and its leader should be reported to the police for his statement declaring the desire to implement the “revolution” which “can be a bloody revolution” This is not okay, groups RKU, AFA and the SUF must be crushed, only then is the Swedish democracy safe.” With the release last week on March 21st of the European Network Against Racism (ENAR) Shadow Report, a report that details Afrophobia here in Europe, one wonders if Stieg Larsson, celebrated Swedish author of the “Millennium trilogy” series and founder of Expo, an anti-racist organisation, was on to something when he reported on the rise of extreme-right wing violence in Sweden. Unfortunately he was lost to the movement given his untimely death in 2004. Among other things ENAR’s Shadow Report finds, “Black people are particularly exposed to police violence as well as racist violence and abuse from other members of the public. In Sweden, 17% of hate crimes targeted Black people in 2014 (1,075 in total). There is a lack of trust between Black communities and the police
which arises from various methods used by the police such as racial profiling and lack of full investigation of racially motivated crimes. Some law enforcement personnel display clearly racist behaviours and the police forces in some Member States are described as institutionally racist.” With the death of Alexander Bengtsson, it seems as #blacklivesmatter is not just for the United States – but may be a message for the world at large.
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FASHION & BEAUTY I Learning to love my hair
Learning to love my hair
I’ve spent the last five, no, maybe seven years, or actually my whole life, thinking about hair. My earliest hair memories are of my mother combing through my long frizzy hair as a child. I loved these moments because I got to watch TV for about two or three hours. But I also hated these moments because they included neck pain, sore scalp and tiredness. My mom hadn’t figured out how to care for my hair. My mom actually never figured out how to care for my hair. This was a time before Internet and YouTube tutorials, so she asked hairdressers for guidance. Hairdressers that didn’t know anything about afro hair. As I grew older my hair became not only what made me stand out as “the other” but this constant enemy that wanted to make my life bad. All I knew were bad hair days. I never wore my hair out because I thought it was too big. Comments and hair touching was a regular part of my life. No one ever told me that I didn’t have to deal with this, no one told me that it was okay to say no. So along with being this “thing” on top of my head that I couldn’t quite figure out, it was this “thing” that gave other people the right to touch me and provide them with entertainment. I never wanted to be entertaining. I never wanted to be different. For some, their hair journey is about letting go of chemical relaxer and learning to care for their natural hair. For many women and men this also includes learning to love the hair that naturally grows out of their scalp. This has been the case for me as well, though I only relaxed my hair once. My
hair journey has been about self acceptance as opposed to addiction to hair relaxer. By speaking to women from South Africa to Denmark, from the US to the UK, I’ve realized how powerful hair really is. Thanks to the natural hair community online and offline I’ve made some amazing friends, I’ve connected to some inspiring women. But most importantly I’ve learnt to love my hair; I’ve learnt to love myself. This is huge. The connection to other women through hair is amazing. It has allowed me to be a part of a community of women that empower me tremendously. It has allowed me to be who I am fully. The hair I hated has become the hair I love. It took me 27 years to fall in love with my hair. It took me 27 years to accept all of my physical traits. My hope is that it won’t take anyone else that long. My hope is that all the little boys and girls with afro hair grow up loving their hair from the day they realize they have hair. This way they don’t need to spend so much time thinking about hair and will instead see their own power when they are young. This is why I started blogging about naturally curly hair five years ago. Article and photography: Nandi Zulu
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What people of African descent should know I OPINION Did you know that we are in the second year of the International Decade for People of African descent? “The International Decade for People of African Descent (2015–2025), was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in a Resolution (68/237) adopted on December 23, 2013. The theme of the International Decade is “People of African descent: recognition, justice and development”. (Wiki)
What people of African descent should know Besides the fact that this decade -long initiative recognizes ALL people of African descent THE WORLD OVER, it contextualizes our common experiences of colonization (in the very least, as we understand that slavery is not the only way to recognize the difference ancestral experiences of us all) and it spells out the set of issues that we all face, no matter where we are in the globe - for we are all over. What are these global disadvantages that I speak of? The continual disproportionate number of us who are imprisoned (think the U.S. which locks up the most amount of its citizens than any other country in the world, half of which are Black or the European version where many are locked up in refugee camps); restricted travel due to imbalanced visa systems and lack of resources; hate crimes that often go unreported and underreported; unemployment; lack of systems of education that equip us with the knowledge necessary for success and many more issues that continue to plague us. While the U.S. exports news and images of our family or community members being eliminated and destroyed, here in Europe the images can be more blurred, more challenging to decipher. There’s the mysterious death of anti-racism politician in Sweden Alexander Bengtsson or the constant debates where “political correctness” comes up against “freedom of expression” both terms which keep the snake, well, eating it’s tale. Here is a list of some of other must-read documents available to the public that has to do with people of African descent, primarily in Europe. Familiarizing yourself with these documents will build a stronger, hopefully more knowledgeable community on which to continue the great progress our community has always experienced and strengthen our continual fight for human rights the world over.
• European Network Against Racism (ENAR) released it’s 2014-15 Shadow Report1. This report reveals that, “Black people in Europe report widespread racism in anti-immigration context”. Although Denmark is not included in this report, the report definitely highlights some troubling trends. • House Resolution # 4212 “Recognizing people of African Descent and Black Europeans.” Submitted by Representative Hastings of Florida on April 29, 2008 in a hearing entitled, “The State of (In)visible Black Europe: Race, Rights and Politics”, the resolution not only recognizes our presence around the globe with a common history of colonization and/ or slavery, it also has a series of resolves from the U.S. House of Representatives which include recognition of injustices, recommendations to address said wrongs on a State level etc. For example, in resolution 5D it states, “introducing national measures to counter stereotypical images of persons of African descent, by revising textbooks, increasing efforts to include Black Europeans in history and heritage institutions, and remembering victims of colonialism, slavery and other atrocities.” This is just one of many and the document is worth spending time with and I can tell you, there is not much happening over here in Europe to address these recommendations. • On June 29th 2000, a Council Directive was released by The Official Journal of the European Communities3 entitled, “Implementing the principle of equal treatment between persons irrespective of racial and ethnic origin”. It’s a fascinating document,
which includes, “The European Union rejects theories which attempt to determine the existence of separate races. The use of the term ‘racial origin’ in this Directive does not imply an acceptance of such theories (6).” It is indeed beyond interesting that the continent that exported its belief system of racial superiority now rejects any recognition of race. It is interesting to note that the medical world, at least here in Denmark, still aggregates its medical information according to race, despite this EU declaration. • There’s CERD’s General recommendation No. 344 which cites the Durban Declaration and Program of Action5 and covers the identified issue of racism as it pertains to people of African descent and includes remedial measures. On the May 15th 2015, “Concluding observations on the twentieth and twenty-first periodic reports of Denmark” was published. In it is item #10 entitled “Racist discourse and incidents”: “On the eve of the incoming election to be held in September 2015 at the latest, the Committee notes with concern the increase of xenophobia and political propaganda targeting non-citizens. The last document worth studying is Demand Catalogue by People of African Descent & Black Europeans. “Drafted during the Network Meeting for People of African Descent in Berlin” from February 13-16, 2014, the Demand Catalogue “demands a recognition of the situation of people of African descent (PAD) and Black Europeans (BE) in accordance with CERD’s General Recommendation No 34 on People of African descent
1
www.enar-eu.org/IMG/pdf/shadowreport_afrophobia_final-2.pdf) www.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/house-resolution/421/text) 3 www.aec-cph.dk/2000_43_en-%20European_Antidiscimination_Directive.pdf) 4 aec-denmark.dk/CERD%20Concluding%20observations.pdf) 5 www.un.org/en/durbanreview2009/ddpa.shtml) 2
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OPINION I How to be street-smart in Cameroon “Eating with the right hand and greeting in the right way: These are some of the things that are good to know before travelling to Cameroon. And, of course, it can be really embarrassing if you don’t know the Cameroonian dress codes…” Written by: Elina Bratt Lejring
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he first time I visited Cameroon I didn’t know anything about the country. I made many mistakes, and as a stranger from Sweden I had to get used to people staring and laughing at me. As if it wasn’t enough with my blond hair and white skin that burnt in the sun, I also ate with my left hand, greeted people in the wrong way and tried to take photos of armed people and public buildings. Big mistakes. But I was lucky to have nice people around me who taught me all the secrets about Cameroonian social etiquette. Now, after spending one year in the country, I at least know the most important things about how to behave in Cameroon. One of the first things I learnt was to greet people in the right way. Just saying “hi”, was not really popular. No, if you greet someone in Cameroon you are supposed to say the person’s name, then say “good morning” (or good evening/good afternoon depending on the time of day) and shake hands, firmly. Depending on the person you greet, the handshake can end with a finger snap or a friendly punch to the other person’s fist. If you greet an old or honoured person, or if somebody offers you a gift, you are supposed to touch your right arm with the left hand while shaking hands. Eating with the right hand was also something I learnt pretty fast. One of my first meals in Cameroon was the traditional dish achu soup, which is something you eat with your fingers. Because I am left-handed I started to
Eating with the right hand
Women at the office
eat with my left hand, but I very quickly noticed people were staring at me. I was told that people in Cameroon don’t consider the left hand to be “clean”. Since that day I always eat with my right hand (even in Sweden). One of the most important things I learnt during my year in Cameroon was to dress in the correct way. Compared to Sweden the dress code in Cameroon is very strict, which is something I learnt from many of my own mistakes. Once I had to wait outside an office because I was wearing a tank top; another time I was told off in church because my skirt was too short, and on another occasion I was forced to change my old t-shirt for a white, ironed shirt before going into a university. These are mistakes I don’t make anymore. Now I know that an acceptable outfit for a woman in Cameroon consists of a skirt, dress or pair of long trousers. In church you are supposed to cover your shoulders and if you want to visit an office you should make sure to dress formally. It’s not like Sweden where you can easily go to an office wearing jeans, sneakers and a t-shirt. Flip-flops and shorts are only for stupid tourists. Most Cameroonians only wear those types of clothes on the beach or at home. Forget about vintage clothes, everything has to look new. Of course it also has to be clean and ironed. At the beginning of my stay in Cameroon, people complained on
several occasions that I had dust on my shoes. I easily avoid that now by always carrying a packet of tissues in my bag to wipe my shoes. Another thing I learnt from my own mistakes was to always carry my passport, especially while travelling. It is also good to bring some extra money and not be in a hurry. Traffic controls are very common and that can cost time and money. The first time I was in Cameroon I didn’t know anything about that, so I travelled from one city to another only carrying my Swedish driving license. I was stopped and taken to a police station where I had to spend some time. I saw people behind bars and was scared to death that they would put me there, but luckily they didn’t. The whole day ended up with me giving them some money to “buy something to drink” and then there was no problem again.
Motorcycle taxi
One really good thing I learnt during my stay in Cameroon was to check motorbike taxis before entering them. Some taxis are really old and on one occasion I got into a bike that was really rusty. Whilst going downhill the whole vehicle broke into three pieces and I got bruised all over my body. Since that day I will never enter a bike or a car before checking the condition of the vehicle. There is no better way to learn something than to learn from your own mistakes. Photography: Elina Bratt Lejring
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LISTINGS I African embassies List of African Embassies and Consular Offices in the Nordic countries ALGERIA Embassy of the People’s Democratic Republic Algeria in Denmark Hellerupvej 66, 2900 Hellerup Copenhagen Tel: +45 3 311 9640 www.algerianembassy.dk Embassy of the People’s Democratic Republic Algeria in Sweden Danderydsgatan 3-5, Sweden Tel: +46 8 679 9130 www.embalgeria.se ANGOLA Embassy of Republic of Angola in Sweden Skeppsbron 8, 111 30 Stockholm Tel: +46 8 24 28 90 www.angolaemb.com BENIN Embassy of Republic of Benin in Denmark Skelvej 2, DK 2900 Hellerup Tel: +45 3 968 1032 www.ambabenin.dk BOTSWANA Embassy of Republic of Botswana in Sweden Tyrgatan 11, 10041 Stockholm Tel: +46 8 5452 5880 www.botswana.se BURKINA FASO Embassy of Burkina Faso in Denmark Svanemollevej 20, 2100 Copenhagen Tel: +45 3918 4022 www.ambaburkina.dk BURUNDI Embassy of Burundi in Norway Oscars gata 57, 0258 Oslo Tel: +47 2138 5782 www.burundi-embassy-oslo.org CAPE VERDE Honorary Consulate of the Republic of Cape Verde in Finland Hanikka 51, 02360 Espoo Tel: +358 4 0500 6949 CAMEROON Honorary Consulate of Cameroon in Denmark Illumgaard, Hveensvej 6, 2950 Vedbæk Tel: + 45 2085 2000 www.cameroonconsulate.dk Consulate General of Cameroon, Sweden Budcentralen (The Bonnier Building) Lokstallsgatan 9, 113 21 Stockholm, Tel. +46 822 5144 www.cameroonconsulate.se CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC (No Embassy in Nordic countries) CHAD Consulate of Chad in Denmark Vassingerødvej 9, 3540 Lynge Tel: +45 4816 3200 COMOROS (No Embassies in Nordic countries) CONGO REPUBLIC Embassy of Congo (Republic) in Sweden Västmannagatan 15, 111 24 Stockholm Tel: +46 830 0590 CONGO, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF Embassy of Congo (Democratic Republic) in Sweden Stjärnvägen 2, 7th floor, 181 23 Lidingö Tel: (+46) 8765 8380 COTE D’IVOIRE Embassy of Cote d´Ivoire in Denmark Gersonsvej 8, 2900 Hellrup, Copenhagen Tel: +45 3962 8821 www.danemark.diplomatie.gouv.ci DJIBOUTI Honorary Consulate General of the Republic of Djibouti in Finland Suomenlinna B 10, 00190 Helsinki Tel: +358 5063 304 EGYPT Embassy of Egypt in Denmark Kristianiagade 19, DK – 2100 Copenhagen Tel: +45 3543 7070 Embassy of Egypt in Finland Kuusisaarentie 4 , 00340 Helsinki Tel: +358 9477 7470 Embassy of Egypt in Norway Drammensveien 90A, 0244 Oslo Tel: +47 2256 2268
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Embassy of Egypt in Sweden Strandvägen 35, 10440 Stockholm Tel: +46 8459 9860 EQUATORIAL GUINEA (No Embassy in Nordic countries) ERITREA Embassy of State of Eritrea in Sweden Stjärnvägen 2B, 4th floor, 181 23 Lidingö Tel: +46 8441 7170 www.eritrean-embassy.se ETHIOPIA Embassy of Ethiopia in Sweden Birger Jarlsgatan 39, 111 45 Stockholm Tel: +46 8 1204 8500 www.ethemb.se GABON Consulate of Gabon in Finland Hauhontie 4 F 32 b, 00550 Helsinki Tel: +358 46 810 0230 GAMBIA Consulate-General of the Gambia in Denmark C.F.Richs Vej 17, 2000 Frederiksberg Tel: +45 4082 8677 GHANA Embassy of Ghana in Denmark Egebjerg Alle 13, Dk-2900 Hellerup Copenhagen Tel: +45 3962 8222 www.ghanaembassy.dk GUINEA (No Embassy in Nordic countries) GUINEA-BISSAU Consulate of Guinea-Bissau in Sweden ELFA Holding AB, Banvaktsvägen 20 171 48 Solna Tel: +46 8735 3669 KENYA Embassy of Kenya in Sweden Birger Jarlsgatan 37, 103 95 Stockholm Tel: +46 821 8300 www.kenyaembassystockholm.com LESOTHO Consulate of Lesotho in Denmark Store Kongensgade 30, 1264 Copenhagen K Tel: +45 3311 1740 Consulate of Lesotho in Sweden Ankarvägen 6,181 43 Lidingö Tel: +46 705 200 191 LIBERIA Consulate General of Liberia in Norway Dronning Maudsgate 10, Postboks 1369 Vika, 0114 Oslo Tel: +47 2323 9090 LIBYA Embassy of Libya in Denmark Rosenvaengets Hovedvej 4, 2100 Copenhagen Tel: +45 3526 3611 MADAGASCAR Consulate of Madagascar in Denmark Lindevangs Allé 3, 2000 Frederiksberg Tel: +45 3355 0090 www.madagaskar.dk MALAWI Consulate of Malawi in Finland Melkonkatu 4 C 58 , 00210 Helsinki Tel: +358 40 087 3208 Consulate of Malawi in Sweden Boregatan 3, 217 74 Malmö Tel: +46 4016 2695 MALI Consulate of Mali in Sweden Hökarängens gård, 128 69 Sköndal Tel: +46 706 558 100 www.maliskonsulat.se MAURITANIA Consulate General of Mauritania in Denmark Strandboulevarden 6, 3rd floor, 2100 Copenhagen Ø Tel: +45 3322 3361 MAURITIUS Honorary Consulate of Mauritius in Denmark Harevaenget 75, 6000 Kolding Tel: +45 2071 3060
Honorary Consulate of Mauritius in Finland Itainen Puistotie 11 A 4, 00140 Helsinki Tel: +358 9 664 845 Honorary Consulate of Mauritius in Norway Lökkalia 12A, 0783 Oslo Tel: +47 2255 4050 Honorary Consulate of Mauritius in Sweden Slottsbacken 2, 111 44 Stockholm Tel: +46 8796 9592
Embassy of South Africa in Sweden Fleminggatan 20, 4th floor, 112 26 Stockholm Tel: +46 824 3950 www.dirco.gov.za/sweden
MOROCCO Embassy of Morocco in Denmark Øregårds Alle 19, 2900 Hellerup Tel: +45 3962 4511 Embassy of Morocco in Finland Pohjoinen Makasiinikatu 7 A 7, 00130 Helsinki Tel: +358 612 2480 Embassy of Morocco in Norway Holtegaten 28, 0355 Oslo Tel: +47 2319 7150 Embassy of Morocco in Sweden Kungsholmstorg 16, 11221 Stockholm Tel: +46 854 551 130
SUDAN Embassy of Sudan in Norway Holtegaten 28, 0355 Oslo Tel: +47 2139 6360 www.sudanoslo.no
MOZAMBIQUE Embassy of Mozambique in Sweden Sturegatan 46, 4th floor, 114 36 Stockholm Tel: +46 8 666 0350 www.embassymozambique.se/us NAMIBIA Embassy of Namibia in Sweden Luntmakargatan 88,113 51 Stockholm Tel: +46 8 442 9800 www.embassyofnamibia.se NIGER Embassy of the Republic of Niger in Denmark Niels Juels Gade 5, 1st floor, 1059 Copenhagen Tel: +45 4422 0990 www.niger.dk NIGERIA Embassy of Nigeria in Sweden Tyrgatan 8, 114 27 Stockholm Tel: +46 824 6390 www.nigerianembassy.nu RWANDA Embassy of Rwanda in Sweden Barnhusgatan 3, 3rd floor (Block B), 111 23 Stockholm Tel:+46 850 001 970 www.rwandaembassy.se SAO TOME AND PRINCIPE (No Embassy in Nordic countries) SENEGAL Senegalese Honorary Consulate General in Sweden Östra Hamngatan 19, 404 27 Göteborg Tel: +46 3181 0500 SEYCHELLES Honorary Consulate of Seychelles in Finland Kalevankatu 47 A 9, 00180 Helsinki Tel: +358 405 150 696 Seychelles representation in Sweden Döbelnsgatan 11 A, 903 30 Umeå Tel: +46 9012 2512 SIERRA LEONE Consulate General of Sierra Leone in Sweden Verkstadsgatan 4, 233 21 Svedala Tel: +46 4040 2610 SOMALIA (No Embassy in Nordic countries) SOUTH AFRICA Embassy of South Africa in Denmark Gammel Vartov Vej 8, DK-2900 Hellerup Tel: +45 3918 0155 Embassy of South Africa in Finland Pohjoinen Makasiinikatu 4, 3rd Floor, 00130 Helsinki Tel: +358 968 603 100 www.southafricanembassy.fi Honorary Consulate of South Africa in Iceland Borgartun 35, 105 Reykjavik Tel: + 354 591 0355 Embassy of South Africa in Norway Drammensveien 88C, 0244 Oslo Tel: +47 2327 3220 www.dirco.gov.za/oslo
SOUTH SUDAN Embassy of South Sudan in Norway Prinsessealléen 2, 0276 Oslo Tel: +47 2244 9939 www.embrss-norway.org
Embassy of Sudan in Sweden Stockholmsvogen 33, 181 33 Lidingo Tel: +46 8611 7780 www.sudanembassy.se SWAZILAND Swazi Honorary Consulate General in Norway Slemdalsveien 97b, 0373 Oslo Tel: +47 2249 1027 TANZANIA Embassy of Tanzania in Sweden Näsby Allé 6, 183 55 Täby Tel: +46 8732 2430 www.tanemb.se TOGO Consulate of Togo in Denmark Nyhavn 31 K, 1051 Copenhagen K Tel: +45 3393 8474 TUNISIA Embassy of Tunisia in Finland Rauhankatu 1 B 17 , 00170 Helsinki Tel: +358 9 6803 9614 Embassy of Tunisia in Norway Drammensveien 82C, 0271 Oslo Tel: +47 2241 7200 www.tunisiaamb.no
Embassy of Tunisia in Sweden Narvavägen 32, 11522 Stockholm Tel: +46.8 5458 5520 UGANDA Embassy of Uganda in Denmark Sofievej 15, DK-2900 Hellerup Tel: +45 3962 0966 ZAMBIA Embassy of Zambia in Sweden Gårdsvägen 18, 3rd floor, 169 03 Solna Tel: +46 8 679 9040 www.zambiaembassy.se ZIMBABWE Embassy of Zimbabwe in Sweden Herserudsvägen 5A, 7th Floor, 181 34 Lidingö Tel: +46 8765 5380 www.zimembassy.se
What we lost in empire I PEOPLE AND EVENTS
What we lost in empire:
Colonialism, colonial amnesia, blackness and identity Written by: Lesley-Ann Brown
There’s nothing new under the sun and many of the sayings we have come to cherish can be found in even older languages and customs than what we are most familiar with today. Take “Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it” a saying attributed to philosopher, poet, essayist and novelist George Santayana. In the Twi language of Ghana there is the word “Sankofa” which means “go back and fetch it” and can be used to describe taking from the past what is necessary for the future. Napoleon also said that it is the victors who write history, while others know it better as “Until the lion tells his side of the story, the tale of the hunt will always glorify the hunter.” In the landscape we know as humankind, history is no linear, mono-narrative that we often learn in school, but in its best form, a multifaceted, inclusive tapestry that stretches across the globe. Scholars are quick to say that if you want to see the future government of a country, look to its classrooms and the syllabus, for it has everything to do with how policy will be formed and decisions made. That there is a global crisis is something that cannot be denied; yet there
are few who are willing to point to anything and declare, “this is it! This is from whence the issues come and this is why we are here!” And it is in this light that “What we lost in Empire: On Colonialism, Colonial Amnesia, Blackness and Identity” was called into being. On Thursday March 10th, four women of African descent were invited to Copenhagen’s Main Library ( Københavns Hovedbibliotek )to speak about the role of empire and colonialism and the importance and politics of remembering. Described as “a talk between four women of African descent living in Denmark” it was a discussion “bringing forward crucial issues on today’s globalized world.” The panel included Anna Neye, a Danish actress and scriptwriter; Lesley-Ann Brown, a Trinidadian-American writer and educator who currently lives in Copenhagen, Denmark; Jeannette Ehlers, a Danish visual artist living and working in Copenhagen and Simmi Dullay a scholar and a visual artist based in London. Dullay was raised in Denmark by exiled South African parents. The panel was an open discussion among the four women that included personal narratives, with Neye and Ehlers speaking about their experiences as growing up Black in Denmark and how that has influenced their work and perspectives. Dullay tied in her experiences of being raised by Black South Indian activists who lived in exile in Denmark for sometime before returning to South Africa and how this influenced her world-view and also commented on her
impressions upon her recent return to this side of the globe. Brown spoke of her 17 years of experience living here in Denmark through the lens of being a teacher, mother and writer and how being a daughter of immigrants in the U.S. has influenced her course of study and perspectives. The turnout was proof that there is an audience for discussions where people, and in this case Black women, take ownership of their stories and receive a platform to speak on issues that historically have attempted to erase, silence and marginalize them. With the current state of racist hysteria on display in the United States via Trump, and the seemingly historical amnesia demonstrated in reporting regarding the continent of Africa and other places impacted by empire and imperialism by a collective Europe, What we lost in Empire was historic- if only because, for the first time, people listened. Photography: Emeli Bernt Haag
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