October 19, 1999

7th Annual Sub-Saharan Africa Symposium

to Take Place at Middlebury College on Oct. 28-29 — “Gender

and Leadership in Africa: What Direction Will African Women Take

in the New Millennium?”

Praise for the African film to be

screened at the symposium, “Women with

Open Eyes:” “It takes courage to see the true condition

of women in the world and to speak out about it. Courage and a

strong stomach. The women in this film possess the necessary radical

vision that neither romanticizes nor renders remote the obvious

consequences of female enslavement.”—Alice Walker, author

of “The Color Purple”

Middlebury College’s seventh annual Sub-Saharan Africa

Symposium, titled “Gender and Leadership in Africa: What

Direction Will African Women Take in the New Millennium?,”

will be held Oct. 28-29. All events are free and open to the public.

“This year’s topic will focus

on an often overlooked element of African culture and politics

and its strong female leaders,” said Negar Ashtari, a Middlebury

College student from Botswana. According to Ashtari, the symposium

brings together diverse experts from Africa and the United States

for lectures and panel discussions. Also, two events will celebrate

African culture—a concert and dance performance by a Nigerian

musical group, and the screening of the African film, “Women

with Open Eyes, ” produced and directed by a Togolese woman.

Leroy Nesbitt, special assistant to

the president of the College and advisor for the symposium, believes

this year’s two-day symposium, like its predecessors, will enrich

the study of Africa on campus and create a constructive discourse

among experts. “One of the best aspects of the symposium

is its ability to provide both the campus and the broader community

with access to outstanding resources in and about Africa,”

said Nesbitt.

On Thursday, Oct. 28 at 7:30 p.m.,

the symposium will begin in Room 216 of Bicentennial Hall, on

Bicentennial Way off College Street (Route 125). Ben Gyepi-Garbrah,

a member of the Middlebury College class of 1993 and the symposium’s

founder, will make introductory remarks.

Following Gyepi-Garbrah’s comments,

there will be a screening of “Women with

Open Eyes,” a French language film with English subtitles

directed and produced by award-winning

Togolese filmmaker Anne-Laure Folly. Less

than an hour long, the film is

a rarity—it is about African women and made by an African woman.

Folly presents portraits of contemporary African women from four

West African nations: Burkina Faso, Mali, Senegal, and Benin.

The film shows how African women are speaking out and organizing

around five key issues: marital rights, reproductive health, female

genital mutilation, women’s role in the economy, and political

rights.

The film introduces many unforgettable

African women, from an individual who has taken refuge in a convent

from a forced marriage to a community health worker demonstrating

condom use in a marketplace. An activist describes why it is more

effective to attack female “circumcision” as a health

issue rather than as a women’s rights issue. Women entrepreneurs

who control trade in major cities explain how they have formed

their own mutual aid societies. A Malian woman, who lost her daughter

in the 1991 pro-democracy demonstrations, describes how women

continue to play a key role in the Malian revolution.

“Women with Open Eyes” shows

how women are organizing at the grassroots level to insure their

participation in the continent’s current move towards democracy.

It has been screened before enthusiastic women’s audiences across

West Africa, reflecting their growing demands for a place at the

center of the development process.

Following the screening, there will be a panel discussion

on the film and issues facing women in Africa. The panelists are

Anne-Laure Folly, the film’s producer; Herschelle Challenor, dean

of the Clark Atlanta University School of International Affairs

and Development and chair of the board of directors of the National

Summit on Africa—a four-year initiative established to educate

the American public about Africa; and Sukai Prom-Jackson, a member

of the Middlebury College class of 1973 who works at the World

Bank Institute— an arm of the World Bank—where she reviews technical

assistance programs funded by the bank and formulates policy.

A reception will take place in Bicentennial Hall’s

Great Hall after the discussion.

On Friday, Oct. 29 at 12 p.m., there will be three

separate lunchtime presentations on women’s issues. Lunch will

be served at each location. Herschelle Challenor will discuss

political science issues related to African women, in Pearsons

Hall Lounge off College Street (Route 125). Sukai Prom-Jackson

will talk about World Bank projects helping women in Africa, in

Upper Ross Lounge, which is also off College Street (Route 125).

Anne-Laure Folly, director and producer of “Women

with Open Eyes,” will discuss her work in Chellis House on

Hillcrest Road off College Street (Route 125).

At 4 p.m. in the library of the Geonomics House,

on Hillcrest Road off College Street (Route 125), a closing discussion

will take place over dinner. The dinner is free, but space is

limited and reservations are required.

At 9 p.m. in McCullough Student Center, on Old Chapel

Road off Route 30, Tobey Foyeh and Orchestra Africa, a Nigerian

band based in Washington, D.C., will give a concert that features

a show of African music and dance.

For more information, or to make reservations for

the dinner discussion, contact Jodi Litchfield at 802-443-5936.

Schedule of Events:

Thursday, Oct. 28,.7:30 p.m.

in Room 216, Bicentennial Hall,

on Bicentennial Way off College Street (Route 125):

Film Screening/Panel Discussion/Reception:

“Women with Open Eyes”

A French film with English subtitles directed and

produced by Award-winning Togolese

filmmaker Anne-Laure Folly. Less than an hour

long, the film is a rarity:

it is about African women and made by an African woman. Folly

presents portraits of contemporary African women from four West

African nations: Burkina Faso, Mali, Senegal, and Benin. The film

shows how African women are speaking out and organizing around

five key issues: marital rights, reproductive health, female genital

mutilation, women’s role in the economy, and political rights.

Following film screening

in Room 216, Bicentennial Hall,

on Bicentennial Way off College Street (Route 125):

Panel discussion: on film

“Women

with Open Eyes” and issues facing women in Africa. Panelists:

Anne-Laure Folly, producer of the film and a native of Togo; Herschelle

Challenor, dean of the Clark Atlanta University School of International

Affairs and Development and chair of the board of directors of

the National Summit on Africa; and Sukai Prom-Jackson, World Bank

Institute.

Following panel discussion

in the Great Hall, Bicentennial Hall, on

Bicentennial Way off College Street (Route 125):

Reception

Friday, Oct. 29 at 12 p.m. Women’s Issues in

Africa — Lunchtime discussions with:

— Herschelle Challenor, who will discuss political

science issues related to African women. Pearsons Hall Lounge

off College Street (Route 125).

— Sukai Prom-Jackson of the World Bank Institute

who will talk about World Bank projects helping women in Africa.

Upper Ross Lounge, off College Street (Route 125).

— Anne-Laure Folly, director and producer of “Women

with Open Eyes,” who will discuss her work. Chellis House

on Hillcrest Road, off College Street (Route 125).

Lunches are free.

4 p.m. Closing discussion

will take place over dinner in the Library of Geonomics House

on Hillcrest Road, off College Street (Route 125). Dinner is free,

but space is limited and reservations are required.

9 p.m. Concert/Dance

Performance: Tobey Foyeh and Orchestra Africa, a Nigerian

band based in Washington, D.C., will give a concert that features

a show of African music and dance. McCullough Student Center,

on Old Chapel Road off Route 30.