COVID-19: Wole Soyinka International Cultural Exchange moves online

The annual Wole Soyinka International Cultural Exchange has been moved online for the first time in its
11-year-old history following COVID-19 disruptions.

DUE to disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the 11th Wole Soyinka International Cultural Exchange, (WSICE) with the theme, ‘I AM because YOU ARE’ will be holding digitally this year.

“Due to the peculiar circumstances of the pandemic, the WSICE will not be able to hold in a physical setting. But as is becoming the new normal, we will be operating in the digital space,” explained a statement from the organisers.

Happening online from July 12 to 14, the 2020 WSICE will feature the usual essay competition involving students of secondary schools and tertiary institutions, a cultural advocacy session and symposium on humanity.

The Advocacy session, according to the organisers, will run for two days and focus on ‘Pandemic: Pursuit of individual Happiness and our common humanity’.

Executive Director of the Chinese Studies Institute at San Diego State University, Lilly Cheng, will deliver the main conference paper on the central theme ‘I AM because YOU ARE’ on July 12.  She would be supported by Dr Li Michael, an educator specialising in the teaching of the Abacus.

Other speakers at the first session, who would be responding to Prof. Cheng’s presentation include Trinidad and Tobago’s Shabaka Thompson who has extensive experience in the carnival, event management and production; Brazilian curator, writer, singer and shaman, Keyna Eilson, and French journalist, Lucile Huguet.

Co-executive producer of the WSICE and theatre scholar, Professor Segun Ojewuyi, will deliver the lead paper entitled ‘Reimagining Our World After Covid-19’ on the second advocacy day. This will be followed by five contributing papers by eminent culture researchers and scholars including Catholic priest and professor in the Department of Africana Studies at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Joseph Brown; Spanish teacher and educational researcher, Cristian R. Aquino-Sterling and Nigerian, Dr Ngozi Nwaneri.

Others are Zimbabwean writer, theatre director, filmmaker and art administrator, Dave Guzha and Ugandan journalist, filmmaker, author and publisher, Nathan Kiwere.

Submission of entries for the essay competition for both junior (12-17) and senior (17-22) categories are ongoing and will close on June 26.

A winner and a runner-up will emerge from each of the five linguistic zones– English, French, Spanish, Portuguese and Chinese. A global winner will also appear in the two categories.

The winners from each category and linguistic zones will be announced on July 14 during a scheduled Meet & Greet session with Professor Soyinka in the same virtual space.

Commenting on the theme, Executive Producer, Teju Kareem said it is from ‘UBUNTU, a Southern African philosophy that epitomises the principle of shared values.

He said, “The theme is inspired by observed factors and motives behind the responses of peoples and governments across the world to the challenges pushed forward by the rage of the pandemic. In particular, the obvious interdependence of our collective humanity has been brought to the fore in the way people and States have risen to support others experiencing the dire effects of the pandemic.”

Kareem assured that though the event will happen online, it will “command quality attention, and meet the same international standards that have earned the WSICE global respect in its over a decade existence.”

The WSICE commenced in 2010 as part of activities marking the birthday of Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka. Professor Segun Ojewuyi of Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, US, and CEO of Zmirage Multimedia Company, AlhajiTeju Kareem initiated it.

 

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