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UNITED
STATES VIRGIN ISLANDS
OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR |
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| FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE |
May
20, 2011 |
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Gubernatorial
Proclamation - African Heritage Week and African Liberation Day
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Governor John P. de Jongh, Jr. has proclaimed May 25, 2011 as “African Liberation Day” and May 22-28, 2011 as “African Heritage Week” in the Virgin Islands to serve as a reminder of our territory’s proud African heritage.
The annual observance of African Heritage Week is an occasion for Americans of African descent to reaffirm their patriotic ties to the United States, their cultural ties with the people of Africa and with their kith and kin throughout the lands of the African Diaspora.
All citizens of the diverse ethnic and cultural communities in the territory are invited to acknowledge and celebrate the vital individual and institutional contributions of African-Americans to the economic, political, cultural, scientific, educational and religious life of the territory.
In celebration of this proclamation, various events are planned throughout the community. On St. Croix, on May 24, the Per Ankh organization will visit schools throughout the island to deliver a video presentation on African heritage and African Liberation Day. On Friday, May 27 and Saturday, May 28, the House of Nyahbinghi invites the community to their African Liberation Day activities, beginning at 9:00 PM and also on Saturday, May 28, from 6:00 AM – 3:00 PM at the Nyahbinghi Grounds in Bethlehem, across from Aureo Diaz housing community and next to Charles H. Emanuel Elementary School. An African Liberation Day forum was held at UVI on Thursday, May 19. For more information on these activities, contact Tafari Tzaddi at 226-9639 or Dr. Chenzira Kahina at 244-2524.
On St. Thomas, the Pan African Support Group and the Environmental Rangers will jointly sponsor African Liberation Day programs, including: a discussion on WSTA radio on 1340 AM on Monday, May 23 at 7:00 PM; an African Liberation Day celebration, including presentations, music, food, and poetry at Natural Livity at 12:00 noon – 3:00 PM on Wednesday, May 25; a Pan African Forum, including five local speakers, at Arian’s Bar and Restaurant in sub base on Friday, May 27; a youth program and liberation day walk from Cancryn to Brewer’s Bay Beach at 9:00 AM on Saturday, May 28 and a youth culture program at Brewer’s Bay Beach at 11:00 AM, same day. Also, We Grow Food Agricultural Cooperative will host an African Liberation day program at 12:00 noon on Sunday, May 29 at the Bordeaux farmer’s market. For more information on these St. Thomas-based events, contact Leba Ola-Niya at 774-1318 or Lumumba Amin at 643-5320.
All events are free and open to the public.
Governor de Jongh invites all Virgin Islanders to join him in observing African Heritage Week and African Liberation Day.
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A
PROCLAMATION
BY THE GOVERNOR
OF THE
UNITED STATES VIRGIN
ISLANDS
TO PROCLAIM AFRICAN HERITAGE WEEK AND AFRICAN
LIBERATION DAY
IN THE UNITED STATES VIRGIN
ISLANDS |
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| WHEREAS,
"African Heritage Week" and
"African Liberation Day" will be
commemorated during the month of May 2011
pursuant to Title 1, Section 192, Virgin Islands
Code (Act No. 5473); and
WHEREAS, the
annual observance of African Heritage Week is an
occasion for Americans of African descent to
reaffirm their patriotic ties to the United
States, their cultural ties with the people of
Africa and with their kith and kin throughout
the lands of the African Diaspora; and
WHEREAS, all
citizens of the diverse ethnic and cultural
communities in the Territory are invited to acknowledge
and celebrate the vital individual and
institutional contributions of African-Americas
to the economic, political, cultural,
scientific, educational and religious life of
the Territory; and
WHEREAS, the week
of May 22-28, 2011, has been set aside as a
reminder of our proud African hertiage;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, John P.
de Jonqh, Jr., Governor of the
United States Virgin Is1ands, by virtue of the authority vested
in me by the Revised Organic Act of 1954, as amended, do hereby
proclaim the week of May 22-28, 2011 as, as "African
Heritage Week and May 25th as "African
Liberation Day" in the United States Virgin
Islands. I call upon all residents to join with
me in observance of this occasion.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and cause
the Seal. of the Government of the Virgin Islands
of the United States to be affixed at Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, Virgin
Islands, this 18th day of April, A.D., 2011.
John P.
de Jongh, Jr.
Governor
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