- This event has already taken place.
The forgotten UN decade (2015-2024): African art and cultural heritage in Norway
Thursday, October 24
- Melahuset
- 11:30 am
The Norwegian Directorate for Culture and Black History Month Norway invites you to celebrate the the International Decade for People of African Descent
The UN has declared 2015-2024 as the International Decade for People of African Descent. The focus is on recognition, justice and development. The decade has received little attention in Norway, and we want to do something about that.
Therefore, the Norwegian Directorate for Culture and Black History Month Norway invites you to the event "The forgotten UN decade". The conversation will focus on African art and cultural heritage in Norway.
We ask:
- What can the arts and culture sector learn from the forgotten UN decade?
- How should art and history from the African diaspora be documented, preserved and communicated in Norway?
- Who is suitable as stewards and communicators of African art and cultural heritage?
The event is free, but you must register here for physical or digital participation.
The event will be held in Norwegian unless otherwise stated. It will be streamed on the Directorate for Culture's website and Facebook page. Recordings will be made available after the event.
Program
11.30 - Doors open. A light lunch will be served
12.00 - Poetry by Jeaninne Masika Harryson
12.15 - Welcome and introduction by Deise Faria Nunes, Project Manager at Black History Month Norway
12.20 - Greetings by Kristin Danielsen, Director of the Norwegian Directorate for Culture
12.25 - Presentation on the Norwegian Directorate for Culture's celebration of the UN Decade in Norway by Asta Busingye Lydersen, editor, writer, performing artist and member of the cultural group Queendom.
12.40 - Presentation on the UN Permanent Forum on People of African Descent by Maïmouna-Lise Pouye, research fellow at the University of Oslo (in English)
12.55 - Break
13.05 - Musical performance by Jenny Ayunda
13.10 - Panel discussion on the dissemination and preservation of Afrodiasporic art and cultural heritage in Norway in light of Black History Month and the UN Decade. With Michelle A. Tisdel, Mohamed Abdi, Ifrah Osman and Deise Faria Nunes (moderator)
13.55 - Performance by Waldane Walker
14.00 - Thank you and end of program
Background for the celebration
In the spring of 2024, the Norwegian Directorate for Culture marked the decade with a collection of texts and a podcast episode to highlight the contribution of Norwegian-Africans to art and culture.
Asta Busingye Lydersen was editor of the collection and author of the cultural policy essay "Vår superkraft - norskafrikaneres bidrag til kulturlivet 2015-2024". Journalist Gabrielle Solaké Graatrud was responsible for the podcast episode "Do we have to talk about racism all the time" and the report "Black bodies in white rooms".
The UN Working Group on People of African Descent visited Oslo, Bergen, Trondheim and Kristiansand on December 11-20, 2023 to gather facts and input for its report on conditions for people of African descent in Norway.
A preliminary report was published in March, in which the working group expresses "deep concern" about racism against people of African origin in Norway. The final report is expected in the fall.
Click on this link to read the full text collection about the celebration.
