International

From Jules Wetchi:

Africa Day is intended to celebrate and acknowledge the successes of the Organization of African Unity (OAU now the AU) from its creation on May 25, 1963, in the fight against colonialism and apartheid, as well as the progress that Africa has made while reflecting upon the common challenges that the continent faces today.

"On Africa Day, the world celebrates the diverse and dynamic continent’s 'enormous promise and potential,'” António Guterres, the UN chief Secretary-General said in an upbeat message to mark the day on Wednesday.

This year, we are showcasing a documentary film about Thomas Sakara from Burkina Faso, also known as "the African Che."

More than three decades after his death in 1987, "this film examines the life and meteoric rise of Thomas Sankara, a charismatic and visionary leader who committed the most taboo of actions in the post-colonial world: he tried to free his country from the neo colonial rule and western dependency," according to Joseph F. Jordan, from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

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La Journée de l'Afrique vise à célébrer et à reconnaître les succès de l'Organisation de l'unité africaine (OUA devenue UA) depuis sa création le 25 mai 1963, dans la lutte contre le colonialisme et l'apartheid, ainsi que les progrès que l'Afrique a réalisés tout en reflétant sur les défis communs auxquels le continent est confronté aujourd'hui.

"A l'occasion de la Journée de l'Afrique, le monde célèbre "l'énorme promesse et le potentiel du continent diversifié et dynamique", a déclaré António Guterres, le secrétaire général de l'ONU dans un message optimiste pour marquer la journée de mercredi.

Cette année, nous présentons un film documentaire sur Thomas Sakara du Burkina Faso, également connu sous le nom de « Che africain ».

Plus de trois décennies après. sa mort en 1987, "ce film examine la vie et l'ascension fulgurante de Thomas Sankara, un leader charismatique et visionnaire qui a commis les actions les plus taboues du monde post-colonial : il a tenté de libérer son pays de la domination néocoloniale et occidentale dépendance", selon Joseph F. Jordan, de l'Université de Caroline du Nord à Chapel Hill. 

The Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom and Code Pink invite Peter Schumann, director of the Bread and Puppet Theater, of Glover VT, to hand out his sourdough rye bread as part of an event in support of Bread not Bombs on Saturday, May 7th.

This is part of a nation wide movement - PeaceInUkraine - which calls for a ceasefire and a negotiated settlement in Ukraine.

Peter was born in Silesia, a region of Central Europe, now mainly in Poland. His recently deceased wife, Elka Schumann, has family in Russia.

Out of family concern, and also as a long time bread maker and peace activist, Schumann is deeply distressed with the war in Ukraine, its impact on the people, the climate, the world and bread making.

From Burlington City Arts:

Vermont-based photojournalist James Buck joins us at Burlington City Arts to share photographs and stories from his recent assignment with Project Hope, a Washington DC based organization that provides medical supplies and care to communities in crisis. In March 2022, Buck traveled with Project Hope to Poland and Ukraine to photograph the perilous conditions of refugees, healthcare workers, and patients amidst the ongoing Russian invasion. He reflects on his experiences visualizing the war in Ukraine, his role as a photojournalist, and the importance of sharing these visual stories with others. Creating powerful visual and multimedia stories, Buck has worked with nonprofits and news outlets around the world including Vermont clients such as Outright Vermont and Seven Days, and national organizations such as New York Times and The Washington Post.

Find more resources to support Ukraine at: rebrand.ly/Ukraine-Resources

From Ed Baker:

Join Ed and his noted guests James Rauh and Roneet Lev as they explore the gravity of our current overdose fatality emergency. James tells the story of his personal loss and his pursuit of fentanyl manufacturers all the way to China, which has led to his current efforts in Washington to have fentanyl declared a Weapon of Mass Destruction. Dr. Lev shares the urgency of what she experiences on the front lines engaged in emergency medical care, while she explains the dynamics of addiction, the lethal potential of fentanyl and some of her initiatives to create effective responses to this crisis in her community.