KWANZAA UNITY DECLARATION, 2011
AFTER THE PAN AFRICAN UNITY SUMMIT, DECEMBER 16, 2011
We, the undersigned collective leadership, commit ourselves to the items of agreement below. We ask you to join us if you and your organization are (a) committed to building the African Union and to contributing to the unification and development of Africa, (b) committed to assist and participate with the African Diaspora in joining the AU as voting members, and (c) committed to recognize Africa as your motherland and to use your networks to spread the word of the AU-Diaspora process and implementation. In order to accept the AU’s invitation to join it as voting members, we must present a united voice. Our acceptance is already late and does not need to be delayed any longer. Please join us in this effort.
We agree to:
I. Currently go on record in accepting the operational
definition by the African Union of the African
Diaspora, to wit: “ The African Diaspora consists of all
peoples of African origin living outside the continent,
irrespective of their citizenship and nationality, and
who are willing to contribute to the development of
the Continent and the building of the African Union.”
Secondly, for purposes of recruitment, clarification
and education in North America, and other regions,
we agree to recognize Africa as the motherland, and
we understand the current AU operational definition
to include both the historical Diaspora and the
modern Diaspora. At some point in the near future
inside the AU we will move to have these two
additional components annexed to the official AU
definition of the African Diaspora.
II. Abide by these Common Denominator Principles/Practices for Pan African collective work:
1. Principle of Mutual Respect: That mutual respect for
colleagues and fellow warriors and reverence and respect
for African traditions and heritage will guide our
deliberations and work;
2. Principle of Inclusiveness: That the talent, skills,
intelligence and creativity needed to increase African
capacity and achieve Pan African unification is not and
will not be determined by one’s political
affiliation/ideology, gender, religion, language or class;
3. Principle of Unity Without Uniformity: That African
descendants can be unified without uniformity and that
forming Pan African partnerships for economic and
political networking is necessary for moving forward ;
4. Principle of Consistency: That Diasporans should work
consistently and relentlessly to join and fully participate
in the African Union as voting members, bringing all
available resources, experience, diplomacy and skills to
that effort;
5. Principle of African Democracy: That as members of
the African Diaspora, we must work to develop inclusive
democratic institutions for implementing the principles
and goals of achieving the United States of Africa/Union
of African States.
6. Principle of Equivalent Capacity Building: That the
African Diaspora Sixth Region must be developed to a
level equivalent to a viable African Regional Economic
Community.
III. Gain approval for and to implement, in
compliance with the Statues of ECOSOCC’s mandate
that representatives should be elected, the Town
Hall/Community Council of Elders model that has
been developed and utilized in North America and
elsewhere within the last five years to elect African
Diaspora delegates/representatives for the African
Union. This method advocates the election of 4
members for ECOSOCC from the USA and 1 member
from Canada. This body also recommends, using the
same or a very similar democratic method, that 3
representatives are elected from Central America, 3
from the Caribbean, 4 from South America/Brazil, 4
from Europe and 1 from the Middle East/Asia,
totaling 20 in all. That total of 20 is currently
designated by the AU and can only be changed once
we are inside the AU as voting members.
IV. To immediately form and establish the North
American African Diaspora Unity Council (NAADUC),
whose membership will be based on organizations
agreeing with the three stipulations noted above in
the Introduction. Each member organization will have
one vote on all issues, there will be a rotating
chairperson for one year elected by the body, with
the chair for each succeeding year being the Vice
Chair-designate elected at the annual meeting, which
will be held in Washington, D.C., unless changed by
majority vote. There will also be at least bi-monthly
digital meetings, and the Secretariat members for
coordination and record keeping will be the AU
Ambassador’s designated staff working with the staff
of the current year’s chair. Other operational items
will be voted upon as needed.
*** All Pan African organizations which attended the AU
Ambassador’s Unity Summit on December 16, 2011, are
automatically included in NAADUC membership, upon
written and oral agreement with this letter. All others
who choose to join us, based on agreeing with all of the
will be a NAADUC meeting the last Saturday of January,
2012 in Washington, D.C. to formalize all of the above
and move forward in engaging the African Union and the
rest of the African Diaspora. NAADUC will be the
reference model for others in the African Diaspora.
SIGNED
Dr. Ruth B. Love Dr. David L. Horne PG Senghor Baye
___________________ ___________________
Ruth B. Love David L. Horne Senghor Baye President, RBLEnterp. International Facilitator, SRDC President-General, UNIA-ACL Co-Chair, W. Afr. Ener. Proj. International Facilitator, PADU Member, PADU Berkeley, CA Los Angeles, CA Washington, D.C
Oscar Brathwaite Dr. Chenzira Kahina Opal Young
_____________________ __________________________
Oscar Brathwaite, CABE Dr. Chenzira Kahina, Per Ankh CCOE of RUF/Harvest Institute Founding President, Can Chair and Co-Founder, V.I President/Exec. Secr. Toronto, Canada Virgin Islands Los Angeles, CA
Reginia Rogers Ras Marvin Sidney Francis Martin
______________________ _________________________
Reginia Rogers ,UNIA-LDF Ras Marvin, CBPO Sidney Francis Martin, CABO Lead Counselor People’s Chair President Washington, D.C. Atlanta, GA New York & Bluefields, Nicaragua
Geuka Amefika Rev. Al Washington Nana N. Sankofara
___________________________ ____________________________ __________________________
Geuka Amefika, NBLC Rev. Al Washington, Africa-USA President Nehanda Sankofara, President, Florida Chamber of Commerce Mothers for Africa, the Los Angeles, CA Sekyiaabea Foundation
Anthony Akili Nkrumah
_______________________________
Anthony Akili Nkrumah, Chair The Nkrumah Brotherhood Philadelphia, Penn.
Forward Ever, Backward Never,
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