The year 2019 marked 400 years since 1619 when the first ship left the Africa shores carrying the first officially documented group of Africans as slaves to America. Although the abolition of Slave Trade on 25 March 1807 marked the end of the worst form of human abuse based on race and colour and left a huge scar in human history which dates back to August 1619. While the negative effects of slavery may never be completely wiped even 400 years later as we marked the “Year of Return”, the abolition of slave trade in 1807 and adoption of United Nations Charter on 26 June 1945 as well as the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on 10 December 1948. The entrenchment of the notion of equality of all human beings and condemnation of all forms of discrimination gave wayto the rise of the civil rights movements particularly in the United States of America. Without these major milestones, it would have been impossible for American’s of African descent to take up their rightful position as citizens of the United States of America and benefit from its development.
The International Role Models Awards had been inspired by the February 2019 Decision of the African Union Assembly of Heads of States and Government which recognized “the 400 Anniversary of the Transatlantic Slave Trade” and requested the African Union Commission to work with well-organized and well meaning initiatives to commemorate the 400th Anniversary and also urged AU member states to consider immigration, economic, cultural and social policies to facilitate integration of African descendants to reconnect and reengage with their brethren in the continent. Recognizing the work so far undertaken by the “1619 400YRS 2019 Door of Our Return” initiative IRMA conceptualized an Award to recognize outstanding people of African descent and in collaboration with the African Union Mission to the United States, the Embassy of Senegal to the United States and the Door of Our Return Initiative planned to organize a symbolic ship voyage from Porte de Dakar to Gore Island on 17/18th November 2019.
The idea was to commemorate the return journey back to Africa so immediately after touch down at the Dakar Airport, passengers of the Door of Return initiative were to immediately be transferred to Porte de Dakar to board the symbolic Ship which was to take them to Gore Island to mark their official arrival return back home through the historic Door of No Return. Entitled from “Door of Return to Door of No Return
To decongest the 2019 program, the IRMA sea voyage was among the activities under 400YOUR that were rescheduled to 2020. The sea voyage on the “Door of Return to Door of No Return” was therefore re- scheduled from November 2019 to18 November 2020 commencing from Porte De Dakar to Gore Island. Historically Gore Island is one of the many exit doors in the West African coast such as Elmina Castle in Ghana used during of the Transatlantic Slave Trade and earned the name “Door of No Return”. The arrival of our brothers and sisters participating in the “1619 400YRS 2019 Door of Our Return” in Gore Island by ship was therefore symbolic and historic as it was designed to demonstrate that the destiny of people of African descent was now in their own hands. Boarding the ship at Porte De Dakar which is three and a half kilometers from Gore, the sea voyage was to be a day event, marked with ceremonies at the ship entrance, entertainment on board and an Award ceremony and an Arrival Ceremony at the Door of No Return where their passports would be officially stamped for entry to Senegal this reversing history. A map of the sea voyage is illustrated here below.
An award ceremony for the participants in the “Door of Return to Door of No Return” voyage was to be either mounted on board the ship between Porte de Dakar and Gore Island on 18th November 2019 or at the Gala Dinner later the same evening in Dakar Senegal.
The International Role Models Award drew inspirations from the huge contributions, inventions and innovations by Americans of African descent which are internationally recognized and made significant contribution globally in different fields which characterized the later part of the 20th Century into the 21st century. They represents achievements, inventions and innovations in many areas particularly in the area Science and Technology (ICT), Art and Culture. (Art, Music, Performing Arts), Inventions and Innovations, Media and Communication (Audio radio, television), Print and social media platform as well as contributing positively to social transformation and change among others. Their ground breaking work benefited humanity across all ages, continents, backgrounds, culture, gender, profession and religion. Their contributions stands out conspicuously as men and women who helped shape the 20th and 21st century and made the world a better place to live in. Building on the African Unions Assembly Decision to welcoming the 400YOUR programme, IRMA designed the award to “Celebration Our Very Own” to recognize the 2019 homecoming of Africa’s sons and daughters after 400 years away from home and to pay tribute to our departed heroes and heroines as well as Role Models, Champions, Path finders, Trail blazers and Achievers who are our living legends. This historic sea voyage was a true demonstration of the African resilience against all odds and IRMA was all set to deliver this historic voyage before the outbreak of the COVID 19 Pandemic in February 2020.
Vision
The Premier Platform for Recognizing and Awarding Distinguished People of African Descent Across the Globe
MissionTo recognize and award outstanding International role models from AU 6 Regions who have risen above their peers and made extra-ordinary contribution globally in different fields to advance humanity and particularly those that have made significant contribution to Africa’s struggle for freedom, development and peace in social, political and economic spheres.
In supporting the realization of the AU Agenda 63 in general and the African Union’s integration Agenda for the AU 6th Region the AU Assembly decision of February 2019 welcomed all people of African descent in both in the 5 Regions in the continent and the 6th Region in the Diaspora to:
7.1 Champion the AU integration agenda through recognizing and Awarding outstanding people of African descent across the 6 AU Regions
7.2 Conceptualise edge cutting ideas in recognition of outstanding Africans across the 6th AU Regions
7.3 Partner with like minded African and African Diaspora Organizations involved in the realization of the AU Agenda 63 and the activation of the AU 6th Region in particular.
7.4 Implement the ideas in recognition of outstanding Africans across the 6th AU Regions and roll-out the process annually
7.5 Mobilize financial, technical, human AND Institutional resources for IRMA Secretariat in general and for the Awards in particular.
7.6 Under IRMA/ADDI partnership generate financial resources to roll out the annual Award under the “Come Back Home “ banner.
The arrival of our brothers and sisters participating in the 400 Year of Our Return Back to Africa in 2019 was a very historic, emotional and momentous occasion which no doubt demonstrated that...
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