[Montréal, Québec, Canada -2°C] I can imagine the emotional depth and confused sense of belonging/alienation that must come from a return visit to one’s homeland ofter a very long and forced exile. At least I think I can. The documentary film by Jen Marlowe, Rebuilding Hope, offers a glimpse of estrangement as it collides with [...]
Posts Tagged ‘diaspora’
Recovery in a post-conflict South Sudan
[MONTRÉAL] Yesterday, I submitted an elaborate funding proposal to help finance a trip to South Sudan. The entire document fills 34 pages with: the themes I want to investigate, the contacts already established in Canada and South Sudan (and their letters of intent to collaborate), the objectives and expected results, the distribution strategies for the reports, articles and videos to be produced while in Sudan, the status of the research, a complete and detailed budget, and the Canadian perspective I hope to bring to the reporting. The proposal also included my resumé to show that I am capable of getting to South Sudan, able to cope with challenges the destination will throw at me, and that I will be able to acquire information, transform it into reports and have it broadcast or published.
24 hours in Ottawa
[OTTAWA] Up at 6h30, I managed to get out the door by 7h15 to catch the 8h00 bus to Ottawa. I have 4 meetings scheduled with people I’ve only spoken with over the phone and a dinner and sleepover with Rory and Ronaye, friends of mine who live nicely snug between the Rideau Canal and the Rideau River.
I got off the bus at Ottawa University and walked to my first meeting with Rachel Vincent and Erin Simpson at the Nobel Women’s Initiative’s modest offices on Slater street. Their space belies the clout of the organization that represents 50% of all women Nobel laureates in the prize’s 107-year history. The Nobel Women’s Initiative was established in 2006 by sister Nobel Peace Laureates Jody Williams (1997), Shirin Ebadi (2003), Wangari Maathai (2004), Rigoberta Menchú Tum (1992), Betty Williams (1976) and Mairead Corrigan Maguire (1976).
