Deadline 1 April 2012





--------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Dr Kumar Mahabir <[log in to unmask]>
Date: 11 March 2012 02:36
Subject: PLEASE CIRCULATE - Call for Papers for Indian Diaspora Conference
in St. Vincent
To:

Conference on The Indian Diaspora in St. Vincent and the wider Caribbean

June 2-3, 2012

Convener: The St. Vincent Chapter of GOPIO International



Following the sporadic series of conferences on the Indian Diaspora in the
Caribbean since 1975 held mainly in Trinidad and Tobago, a group of
academics are planning to organise one conference every year in various
parts of the region. This year's conference will be held in St. Vincent
during the weekend of June 2nd and 3rd, 2012 on the theme "The Indian
Diaspora in St. Vincent and the wider Caribbean." The conference will
coincide with Indian Arrival Day in St. Vincent on June 1st which has been
formally recognised by St Vincent and the Grenadines Parliament since 2007.



The population of St. Vincent is approximately 100,000 consisting mainly of
persons of African descent. There are small numbers of mixed persons of
Carib and African origin, Europeans and South Asians/East Indians. Indians
form about 5,000 (5%) of the total population. Although Indians in St.
Vincent are scattered in several villages, there are distinct areas where
they are concentrated, namely Richland Park, Calder and Rosebank as well as
Akers, Georgetown, Park Hill and Orange Hill.



The St. Vincent Chapter of GOPIO (The Global Organization of People of
Indian Origin) will be the main host and organiser of the conference. GOPIO
was founded in New York in 1989 initially to fight human rights violation of
People of Indian Origin (PIO). GOPIO has now set its priorities in pooling
the resources, both financial and professional, for the benefit of PIOs in
the countries they live.



The conference organisers will provide free accommodation, breakfast and
lunch, and ground transportation for the weekend for presenters only. Other
participants would be provided with subsidised services and facilities.
Rooms can be shared to minimise the cost of accommodation. Participants are
free to choose their own accommodation at their own cost. However, all
participants should stay at or near the conference venue for security and
convenience. Participants are encouraged to invite and bring their friends
and family members for the weekend in St. Vincent.



The tentative programme is as follows:

Friday June 1 - Indian Arrival Day observances in St. Vincent

Saturday June 2-

9.00 a.m - 500 p.m. --- all-day island guided tour that would include
tangible, intangible and natural heritage and historical sites such as
monuments, museums, beaches, events, ceremonies and activities.

7.00 p.m - 10.00 ---- ceremonial opening at 7.00 p.m. with a feature speech,
concluding with cocktail drinks and finger-food.

Sunday June 3 - all-day presentations from 9.00 a.m. to 2.00 p.m.,
concluding with a cultural show and/or film screening from 5.00 to 7.00 p.m.



The conference aims to bring together academics, scholars, students,
teachers, organisations and people with an interest in the Indian Diaspora
in the Caribbean to discuss their research findings. Space will be provided
for less formal presentations from activists and practitioners in the field
in order to contribute to the limited store of public knowledge on Indians
in the St. Vincent.



Possible paper topics can include, but are not limited to conversion,
resistance, discrimination, politics, history, family histories, migration,
literature, gender, orature, performance, art, sports, recreation,
accommodation, survival, the media, etc. Each paper to be presented must
focus on, or at least make reference to Indians in St. Vincent.



Please send abstract of 200 words and brief biodata (via Word attachment)

by April, 1, 2012 to



Dr. Arnold Thomas in St. Vincent -  <mailto:[log in to unmask]>
[log in to unmask],

GOPIO International Coordinator for the Caribbean

and

Dr. Kumar Mahabir in Trinidad -  <mailto:[log in to unmask]>
[log in to unmask],

University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT)



In the Subject line, please type, "St Vincent Indian Conference"



The deadline date for the submission of the full paper is May 1, 2012.





The tentative conference schedule for the next five years is as follows:



2011 - Conference in Trinidad and Tobago - done



2012 - Conference in St. Vincent



2013 - Conference in Suriname



2014 - Conference in Belize



2015 - Conference in Trinidad - 170th anniversary of Indian Arrival



2016 - Conference in Jamaica?





END OF DOCUMENT


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University of Sheffield

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