The Forgotten Country-Haiti Awareness Evening

dublin | rights, freedoms and repression | event notice Wednesday June 11, 2008 01:51 by Colette Rooney - Viatores Christi and the Latin American Solidarity Centre Viatores Christi, 8 New Cabra Road, Phibsboro, Dublin 7. (01) 8689986

An evening organised by Viatores Christi and the Latin American Solidarity Centre to raise awareness about the poorest country in the western world and how you can help by becoming more aware and by volunteering your skills with LASC and Viatores Christi.

Fr Rick checks examines a chest x-ray in the clinic in the heart of Cité Soleil

Irish Aid Centre, O’Connell St,
Thursday 19th June 2008, 7:30pm - 10pm

A evening organised by Viatores Christi and the Latin American Solidarity Centre

At the end of the 18th Century, Haiti, the “gem of the Caribbean” was among one of the richest countries of the world. During the 17th and 18th centuries, thousands of Africans were kidnapped and brought to Haiti to work as slaves. The former French colony became the first independent black republic in 1804, after a slave rebellion.

Since that time Haitians have struggled to level the playing field in the face of often hostile foreign intervention, occupation, revolutions, civil war and vicious dictatorships. Today Haiti has one of the highest infant mortality rates and an average life expectancy of not quite 50 years.

Most of the population has no access to sanitation and no reliable source of water. Haiti has recently been in the news as rising global food prices drive an already starving population to riot in frustration.

Programme
Introduction
Colette Rooney from Viatores Christi
Pepe Gutiérrez from the Latin American Solidarity Centre, Dublin.

Guest speaker
Peter Hallward, University of Middlesex, author of Damning the Flood: Haiti, Aristide, and the Politics of Containment
Peter Hallward is professor of Modern European Philosophy at Middlesex University. His research ranges across several debates in recent continental philosophy and the reception of post-colonial literature. He also works on some of the obstacles currently facing progressive political movements in several parts of the world.

Damming the Flood is his fourth book and has been widely praised as the first accurate and comprehensive analysis of recent Haitian history as well as an insightful eye into the future of the troubled Caribbean country.

Stories from Haiti
Presentation and slideshow by journalist Nóra Geraghty and photojournalist Paula Geraghty, who visited Haiti in 2007 on behalf of Viatores Christi as part of the IMRS Missionary Development Awareness Scheme. They, with Pat Mollaghan, returned Viatores Christi volunteer, talk about their experience in Haiti and in particular the people they met. This presentation will help give an insight into the reality of life in the Port-au-Prince area. Their presentation will feature images from Cité Soleil, Port au Prince and life in an orphanage in which Viatores Christi volunteers help care for abandoned and orphaned children and the new state-of-the-art hospital, constructed by local Haitians, under the guidance of Pat Mollaghan.

Call to action
How you can help by becoming more aware and by volunteering your skills with LASC and Viatores Christi.

Closing Remarks

For further information, please contact Colette Rooney, Viatores Christi, 8 New Cabra Road, Phibsboro, Dublin 7. Tel. (01) 8689986 colette@viatoreschristi.com

images (c) Paula Geraghty

Children from Wharf Jeremie, a slum built on a rubbish dump in Port-au-Prince, at one of the few primary educational facilities available, meals are guaranteed.

Walking to mass in Kenscoff from 5,500ft up, brightly coloured banks only sell lottery tickets.

under fives dormitory in an orphanage near Kenscoff

The state does not provide social services. Wild pigs roam and rummage through decaying rubbish dumps