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Dominica-Seychelles
Kwéyòl Exchange Program 2006
Who's
involved:
Project leader: Jahisiah Benoit
Main partners:
- Dominica National
Commission for UNESCO in collaboration with
- Komite Pou Etid Kwéyòl (K.E.K) and
- Youth Culture and Heritage Movement (Y.C.H.M).
- Ministry of Environment,
Seychelles
Timeframe:
August 2006 - January 2007
Theme:
Life and Love in Islands
Background:
The idea for an exchange between the islands of
Dominica and Seychelles was suggested by Jahisiah
Benoit in one of his articles posted in the UNESCO
Small Islands Voice Youth Forum. Following
this, youth from both islands exchanged ideas
and suggestions on actuating the idea.
The first ever Dominica-Seychelles
Kwéyòl (Creole) Exchange will take place
in the last two weeks of October when both islands
celebrate their Creole Festivals. Jahisiah Benoit
will be traveling to Seychelles where he will
be expected to disseminate as much information
as possible on the Kwéyòl language from Dominica
and more importantly, what programs are in place
to preserve the language. It is expected that
both parties will exchange recommendations on
how to improve each other's Creole programs
Objectives:
- To promote the World
Creole Music Festival providing information on
its evolution over the years;
- To allow youth from SIDS
to experience the Kwéyòl festivals of their respective
islands hence identifying similarities and differences
whilst obtaining ideas for improving their festivals
back home;
- To promote the "Pale
Kwéyòl" Dominican project as an effective
program for the learning of the Kwéyòl language
within the school system;
- To exchange knowledge on
the Kwéyòl language as it is spoken and written
in the two islands identifying similarities and
differences;
- To establish links with
cultural organizations in Seychelles as a means
of widening the network of the Cultural youth
movement in Dominica and the Caribbean;
- To arouse interest in Dominica's
Creole and Independence celebrations;
- To obtain material on the
Seychelles culture and customs;
Activities:
Progress
Reports:
29 January 2007
I hope that we can continue our partnership this year. There are two
initiatives that we are developing with the Seychelles National Youth
Council and three other caribbean countries namely St. Lucia, Martinique and Grenada. Firstly an international youth conference/exchange recognizing
that the seychelles rep. never got the chance to come to Dominica and a
number of the secretary generals at the recently held ASP net meeting
expressed interest in participating. Dominica, Martinique (AREC-F) and St.
Lucia are the main collaborating partners in the Caribbean.
The second one is at the regional level where we hope to merge cultural
education with HIV/AIDS education by developing a play in Kwéyòl that
educates on HIV/AIDS and empowers the participants with skills in peer
education and counciling.
Last week a representative of PAHO (Pan American Health Organization) also expressed interest in the
international exchange so we are hoping to persue these ideas intensivley
over the next few months.
- Jahisiah
30 October 2006
Dear Youth Visioning team, just writing to let
you know that i have arrived safely in Seychelles
and so far it has been a great learning experience.
The support team is doing
a great job thus far and many of the people actually
think that i am seycelwa as they say. The
most interesting thing thus far is that there
are many differences in the words we use to describe
certain tings in Kwéyòl i am collating a list
of such words as we go along.
Today i am due to make a
presentation on the Palé
Kwéyòl project as well as an idea that we
have for an international Kwéyòl youth conference.
If there is much interest in the idea then i will
send you the information for your consideration,
however it is still in its conceptual stages.
Also back in Dominica we
commenced the second cycle of the Palé
Kwéyòl program last week. So far we have had the
opening ceremony/press conference, a television
program, and a radio program, the intereviews
for the youth who are to take up office at the
Kweyol desk are scheduled for today and tommorow.
We have six persons applying for this job, ten
who have applied for the training as tutors. Soon
their training will commence as well as the spelling
B.
I cannot think of a way to
say thanks to UNESCO for this opportunity but
by the time the exchange is over I propably will.
I will continue to keep you informed on how things
are going.
- Jahisiah
Downloads:
Final Report [.pdf 586Kb]
Jahisiah's
itinerary in the Seychelles
A
list of some of the Creole activities taking place
in Dominica
For
more information:
Contact Jahisiah Jeremiah Benoit: jahjben@hotmail.com
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