Venezuela to Offer African American Course at US University
The “Africa and its Diaspora in Hispanic America” course will be run at the Southern University at New Orleans.
Merida, November 21, 2018 (venezuelanalysis.com) – For the first time in Venezuela-US diplomatic history, a Venezuelan consulate has joined forces with a US university to amplify the range of topics offered by the educational establishment.
The agreement between the Venezuelan consulate in New Orleans and the Southern University at New Orleans (SUNO) to offer the “Africa and its Diaspora in Hispanic America” course as part of the topics offered by the university was proposed in 2017 by General Consul Jesus Garcia and the head of African American studies at the SUNO Dr. Clyde Robertson. The agreement to offer the university course was signed in August this year, and it is unclear when the course is due to begin.
The SUNO is to offer the topic – which will look at amplifying awareness of the African presence in Latin America, the history and culture of the Afro diaspora, their spiritual affiliations, and some of the more modern struggles in the continent – both on a semestral and yearly basis.
The move comes amidst growing tensions in diplomatic relations between the corresponding governments due in part to a series of financial sanctions imposed by US President Trump. It does, however, follow a symbolic visit by Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to the Harlem community in New York in September, in which he stressed the solidarity which his country has with the excluded US African American people.
