The International Congress of African Literatures and Cultures, Griots, an initiative of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), was created with the aim of affirming places of speech, perspectives, and diversities that make the Afro-descendant community viable around the world. The meeting, coordinated by professors Tânia Lima and Izabel Nascimento, promotes reflection on transcultural studies, anti-colonialism, ancestries, sexuality, diasporic issues and racial themes.
The first edition of Griots took place in May 2009. Since then, the event has provided conferences, workshops, round tables, thematic symposiums, musical poetic performances, and shared knowledge about literary writing in Brazil and the African continent. “Over the course of more than 10 years, we created an event that is extremely important in not only a national but also an international context, involving African cultures” says professor Tânia Lima.
The organization, through the publication of books, celebrates the inclusion of the collection Griots – African cultures – language, memory, imaginary, in the virtual library of the 225 most important books on racial themes in Brazil and the world. "Professor Izabel and I organized the first, which are actually these books that are recognized today as a kind of public heritage in the fight against racism around the world. It is international recognition, which comes precisely from the first congresses that we organized here, in 2009."
"We have produced more than 10 books during this time, so it is a recognition of a collective work, of all our quilombola and indigenous brothers, in deconstructing all this racism that exists. The only possibility of including all these minorities that suffer throughout history from slavery to the present day is through educational inclusion. We can only work on racism within an educational perspective. So education is the only gateway for communities, which have been excluded throughout history, to be recognized. And if we have a debt, it is immense.” continues the coordinator.
In this sense, the recognition is shared with the significant support from UFRN, as the professor says. “UFRN stands out in the northeast as a university that makes a journey, a journey, through this internationalization of studies that are not only here in Rio Grande do Norte, but also in Africa and in the European context”.
To check out the virtual library, visit: https://onedrive.live.com/?authkey=%21AGrnHP74fd3IOCg&cid=EB48622F585FE35A&id=EB48622F585FE35A%21297&parId=EB48622F585FE35A%21105&o=OneUp