“Black and So What”: U.B. forum on ethnicity

In a time when ethnic lines around the world are becoming increasingly blurred, the University of Belize has found it timely to discuss identity in the context of Belize’s multi-cultural society. “Black and So What: the Relevance of Racial and Cultural Identity” is the focus of a public forum on Thursday evening at the Holy Redeemer Parish Hall. Organiser of the event, Interim Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, is Dr. Joseph Iyo.

Dr. Joseph Iyo, Interim Dean, Faculty of Arts & Sciences

“It is one, reactive, and on the other hand proactive, in the sense that there was an article in the Belize Times of twentieth February 2002 in which Dickie Bradley raised the question of black and so what and tried to discuss the context of blackness in Belize. He had raised some fundamental factors in that essay, that we thought as a university and the only national university, the university should provide certain information and clarify certain issues, particularly in these very challenging times. So the symposium essentially is trying to clarify certain issues that are happening globally in terms of racial and cultural identity, and how this actually determines potential and actual achievements.

And so we are trying to instruct people that we need to discuss these issues in the way and manner in which the whole global community discusses them. So that people do not grow up with the parochial idea of race and culture, but the global community has a different definition.”

Ann-Marie Williams

“And also how it changes over time?”

Dr. Joseph Iyo

“That is true, it changes over time, it is quite dynamic. As you know, race and culture are dynamic phenomena. That is why we really embrace this topic and decide that we have to confront…they are topics that people do not really want to touch.”

Iyo told News 5 that the forum is part of the University’s role in community outreach and development. The event begins at six at the Holy Redeemer Parish Hall.