The 2nd Conference of Intellectuals from Africa and the Diaspora (CIAD II) will be held in Salvador-Bahia from 12 to 14 July 2006.

AUC- Addis Ababa, 7 July 2006- The 2nd Conference of Intellectuals from Africa and the Diaspora (CIAD II), which is being organized by the Brazilian Government, in close co-operation with the African Union, will be held from 12-14 July 2006, in Salvador- Bahia Brazil. The purpose of CIAD II is to build on the achievements of the 1st conference of Intellectuals from African and the Diaspora (CIAD I), held in Dakar, Senegal, from 6-9 October 2004.

The conference, under the theme "The Diaspora and African Renaissance", will be officially opened by the President of the Republic of Brazil. Some African, Caribbean and South American Heads of State and Government will also be there.

Purpose and Rationale

The Conference of Intellectuals from Africa and the Diaspora derives its inspiration from two main sources. First, is the Constitutive Act of the African Union that stresses the need for a "people-driven African Community" predicated on participation and partnership with all segments of society. Second is the strategic vision and mission of the African Union, which seeks to create a dynamic and prosperous Union driven by its people.

The desire to assign a critical role to intellectuals in this process has historical roots. African intellectuals, within the continent and the Diaspora, have played a decisive role in the struggle for social, political and economic emancipation on the continent and their efforts have been crucial in the search for identity, growth and the processes of development. The contribution of African intellectuals was particularly pronounced in the struggle for self-determination and against colonialism. African intellectuals were also at the forefront of the desire for self-definition and rapid development at the onset of independence.

It is hardly surprising therefore, that the search for African rebirth or renaissance has again come to emphasize the revival of the role of intellectuals in building Africa's awareness, forging a clear continental identity and exploring ways and means of projecting a reinvigorated African image and influence in a rapidly changing and complex world. more>>