The Thought of Amílcar Cabral

The academic conference “The Thought of Amílcar Cabral and Education”, organized by Arlinda Cabral, is going to happen at Agostinho da Silva Auditorium, Lusófona University, on 25 May 2023, 14h30-17h00.  Link to the CEIED news.

Programme

CONCEPT NOTE

Event Description

This academic and scientific event aims to promote greater knowledge about the life and work of "Amílcar Cabral (1924-1973)" and to contribute to the "re-discovery" of Amílcar Cabral's thought and influence in the various dimensions that influence the organization, structuring, and functioning of contemporary African societies, and that makes him a thinker, intellectual, revolutionary and personality committed to the common good recognized in academic institutions from different countries and continents.

For Amílcar Cabral, education was the "first weapon" for freedom and for developing the potential and capacities of children, young people, as well as adults, in order to achieve dignified, just, and emancipatory life projects. In the same way, education constituted an inescapable factor in the process of development and social transformation of the material conditions of life in African societies as a result of its impact on the economic, political, historical, cultural, ethnolinguistic, and identity dimensions.

In order to understand the thought of Amílcar Cabral and its influence(s) on the field of education, in general, and on educational policies, in particular, it is necessary to know the "life and work", the "revolutionary socio-cultural and economic-political context" in which he lived and what "reflections and future prospects" Amílcar Cabral envisaged for African societies and for all Peoples who wanted to commit themselves to "freedom of thought" and "freedom of action".

Emblematic phrases of Amílcar Cabral

• • “... I have sworn to myself (...) that I must give my life (...) in the service of the cause of humanity, to give my contribution, as far as possible, so that Man's life may become better in the world. This is my work” (Amílcar Cabral)
  • “To think with our own heads” (Amílcar Cabral)
  • “Think to act better and act to think better” (Amílcar Cabral)
  • “If I could, I would fight a fight only with books, without weapons. It was the best way to prepare the cadres for the future” (Amílcar Cabral)
  • “The most wonderful, the most delicate thing in the world, are the children. We must give the best we have to children. We should educate them to stand up with an open mind, to understand things, to be good, good, to avoid all kinds of evil” [CABRAL, A. (1974). P.A.I.G.C. Unidade e Luta. Lisbon: Nova Aurora Publications, p. 51].

Invitees

It is in this framework that the Research and Learning Community (ReLeCo) Nucleus for African Studies - Education and Society" (ReLeCo NEA-ES), in collaboration with ReLeCo CEM - Culture(s), Education and Memory(s), ReLeCo Sociomuseology, the UNESCO Chair in Education, Citizenship and Cultural Diversity and the Observatory of Education and Training Policies (OP. Edu), organize this event, which aims to provide a moment of dialogue, reflection, analysis, and appropriation of the life and work of Amílcar Cabral, with the participation of three Guest Speakers, who are:

• Ângela Benoliel Coutinho, PhD in History from the Université Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne, France, Researcher at the Portuguese Institute of International Relations (IPRI/UNL) and author of the book Os dirigentes do P.A.I.G.C. Da fundação à rutura 1956-1980
• Julião Soares Sousa, PhD History, University of Coimbra. Assistant Researcher at the Institute for Interdisciplinary Research and the Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies of the 20th Century (CEIS20), University of Coimbra. Author of the book "Amílcar Cabral (1924-1973) - Life and Death of an African Revolutionary"
• Fernanda Marques, Minister of Higher Education, Science and Culture of Cape Verde (2010). Minister of Education and Sports of Cape Verde (2010-2016). Independent Researcher, Xian Jiao Tong University. Senior Consultant in Education.

Date and procedures

This event, which will be held on the date that marks "World Africa Day", established by the United Nations Organisation (UNO) in 1972, is aimed at researchers and academics, teachers, PhD, Master and undergraduate students, civil society institutions and social movements, with interest in studies on education in Africa, and all those who want to know "who was", "who is" and "who is becoming", in the epistemological and scientific educational field, Amílcar Cabral and his thought.

Registration: Free participation, subject to registration, up to the limit of available places

Regsitration Link: https://forms.gle/Frkj4kAxpPUzToEr6

Format: Face-to-face

Certificate: Gives the right to a certificate.

PROGRAMA

14H30 Reception of the Invited Guests and Participants

• Magnificent Rector of Lusófona University, José Bragança de Miranda
• Director of the Faculty of Social Sciences, Education and Administration (FCSEA), António Costa Pinto

15H00 Opening session

• Director of the Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies in Education and Development, António Teodoro
• Coordinator of the Research and Learning Community African Studies: Education and Society, Arlinda Cabral "The Thought of Amílcar Cabral and Education"
• Ângela Benoliel Coutinho, PhD History, Université Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne, Paris, France. Researcher at the Portuguese Institute of International Relations (IPRI/UNL). Author of the book "Os dirigentes do P.A.I.G.C. Da fundação à rutura 1956-1980"
• Julião Soares Sousa, PhD History, University of Coimbra. Assistant Researcher at the Institute for Interdisciplinary Research and the Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies of the 20th Century (CEIS20), University of Coimbra. Author of the book "Amílcar Cabral (1924-1973) - Life and Death of an African Revolutionary"

15H15 Presentations and debate

Fernanda Marques, Minister of Higher Education, Science and Culture of Cape Verde (2010). Minister of Education and Sport of Cape Verde (2010-2016). Independent Researcher. Senior Consultant in Education.

Moderation

• Arlinda Cabral, ReLeCo NEA-ES African Studies - Education and Society
• Maria Neves Gonçalves, ReLeCo CEM - Culture(s), Education and Memory(s)
• Judite Primo, CeiED - UNESCO Chair in Education, Citizenship and Cultural Diversity

16h45 Final considerations

• Teresa Teixeira Lopo, Observatory of Education and Training Policies (OP.Edu)
• Arlinda Cabral, ReLeCo NEA-ES

17H00 Closure of proceedings

Technical secretariat

Pedro Fialho and Isabela Bertho, CeiED|ULusófona