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Nat'l Confab Gears Up in USA

The Analyst (Monrovia)
NEWS
October 26, 2004
Posted to the web October 27, 2004

Liberians To Converge In N. Carolina
The NC A & T State University's Exhibition Hall in Greensboro, North
Carolina will be hosting a symposium of Liberians and some members of the
international community on October 29-30 to map out appropriate strategies for
the reconstruction and redevelopment of the war ravaged country.
The national symposium on the future of Liberia which is expected to be held on
the theme "Promoting Civil Liberties, Collective Security, and Development in
Post Conflict Liberia," will be addressed by scores of Liberians including the
Ministers of Justice, and Information, Culture and Tourism are expected to
address the function, and other international figures.
According to a dispatch from the NC AQ & T University, Catholic Preacher,
Father Dr. Robert Tikpor of the Monrovia Diocese will deliver the key not
address for the symposium. Father Tikpor will speak on the theme "The Role of
Religion in Post Civil War Liberia." Amongst scores of other Liberians,
personalities from the international community, and diplomats that would
present papers are for Chairman of the Mass Communication department of the
University of Liberia, T. Nelson Williams, Sr. who will speak on "Free Press
and Reasonability In The New Liberia"; former Minister of Information Emmanuel
Z. Bowier to address the topic "The Liberian Socio-cultural Realities & The
Challenge For Nation-building.
Former President of the Union of Liberian Associations in the Americas (ULAA)
Mydea Reeves-Karpeh will also speak on "The Role of Women in Post Conflict
Liberia," Dr. Mariah Seton would speak on "Ethnic Diversity and Social Economic
development in the New Liberia" and Dr. Emmanuel Dolo on "Mental Health and
Social Rehabilitation in Liberia," amongst other. Dr. Dolo is the Principal
Investigator, Minority Mental Health Service Utilization Research Project and
President and Chief Executive Officer of Lifeworks International Evaluation and
Consulting in Minnesota, USA.
The dispatch from the NC AQ & T University named key issues that would be
highlighted at the symposium as "finding solutions to social and economic
problems in Liberia, estimating greater interest for Liberians to return home
briefly in next year to conduct workshops and seminars aimed at rallying the
Liberian people towards national unity and national consciousness, and to ably
encourage the Liberian Government regarding development priorities of the
country." "The symposium will serve as a reminder to all Liberians that any
nation. In its struggles for national development and political power, must
first and foremost not only draw upon its past and its way of life, but must
also depend the talents or brains of its sons and daughters," Dr. Syrulwa
Somah, a tenure Professor at the NC A & T State University was quoted as
saying.
He said the symposium is intended to emphasize that Liberians have consciously
entered a new era and a new horizon after the 14 years of devastation, and
added that this new era must be characterized by success and progress with the
collective showcasing of the talents of all Liberians in finding practical
solutions to the day to day problems of the country.
Dr. Somah reiterated the Liberia urgently needs the creative talents of all her
sons and daughters in the rebuilding of the country, noting that it is no
longer enough for those living abroad to waste a lifetime waiting for what he
called "the right opportunity, the right moment, the right international
organizations, or the right men or women to fix and rebuild." Liberia is
currently suffering from a huge brain-drain, national leadership problem, and
lack of meaningful socio-economic development and therefore making it an
imperative for every Liberian to make whatever contributions toward the
rebuilding process.

   

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