Panel Discussion held in the context of the International Week of Solidarity with Peoples of the Non Self-Governing Territories
CONFERENCE
ON DECOLONIZATION
This conference will be held
in the framework of the International Week of Solidarity with the Peoples of
Non-Self-Governing territories, with the presence and participation of a group
of academics and diplomats; it is aimed at explaining the audience different
opinions and views on the different aspects of the decolonization process.
The general idea of the
Conference is to provide a basis for discussion on decolonization, from a
historical perspective with the liberation struggle fought by countries like
Angola during the second half of the XX century, in order to show how
emancipation processes during the XIX and XX centuries evolved to be inherited
by the United Nations through the Special Committee on Decolonization,
replacing the violent struggle with diplomatic efforts in the context of
multilateralism.
The Conference will then
present an overview of the decolonization process and the relevance of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence
to Colonial Countries and Peoples as an instrument of political authority
to encourage the aspirations of the peoples that led to the creation of new
nations in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and the Pacific regions.
Furthermore, the Conference
will focus on reviewing, from an academic perspective, different cases of the
decolonization process such as the Question of Western Sahara and the Question
of Puerto Rico, to raise awareness on fundamental aspects of those processes
and their connection to the historical moment and evolution, as well as events,
challenges, and related actors.
In the case of Western
Sahara, the debate will be connected to the historical view and opinions on the
developments of the controversy and roles of actors to the conflict, with a
democratic and alternative approach.
With regards to Puerto Rico,
the discussion will be mainly based on the current economic and political
situation that determines points of agreement between the different forces and
options around the political status of Puerto Rico, favoring the decolonization
of the territory.
Speakers:
·
Ambassador
Ismael Abraão Gaspar Martins, Permanent Representative
of Angola
· Dr.
Carlyle Corbin, International
Advisor on Governance & Multilateral Diplomacy
·
Dr.
Stephen Zunes, Professor of Politics and International
Studies, Coordinator of Middle Eastern Studies at the University of San
Francisco.
·
Dr.
José Luis Morín, Professor in the Latin American and Latino
Studies, Department at John Jay College of Criminal Justice (CUNY).
Venue:
Conference Room 2, United
Nations Headquarters
Date:
Wednesday 22 June 2016; from
3:00 pm to 6:00 pm
Language:
English
Conference format:
· Speaker intervention: 15 minutes each
Disclaimer:
The purpose of the Conference
is to inform the audience about the different aspects of decolonization, to
provide academic points of view on the issue and to raise awareness and promote
debate on decolonization; the Conference does not intend to establish the
position of the Committee on Decolonization about the subjects that will be
raised there, nor is the intention to present the academic opinions of the experts
and the words of the diplomatic officer as the point of view of the Committee;
the Committee would offer these views as food for thought but it will not be an
endorsement of any kind to any point of view mentioned during the Conference.
