Call made for peace and unity during Emancipation celebrations

Chief cultural officer Raymond Lawrence

Chief Cultural Officer Raymond Lawrence is calling for greater unity and peace for this year’s Emancipation Celebration.

He was speaking at the official launch for the 2018 Emancipation Celebration held at the Old Mill Cultural Centre in Canefield on Wednesday.

“This Emancipation let us ring out a call for greater unity and peace across the length and breadth of Dominica,” he said. “In order to be a stronger country we must be more unified in purpose and in spirit and in order to make greater advancements in our development we must be a more unified people.”

Lawrence continued, “We must strive to be one people under God, as one nation under one flag.”

According to him, persons must use the opportunity to strengthen bonds of unity and friendship and also to continue building a better and stronger and more resilient Dominica.

Lawrence went on to say that the Emancipation day Celebration is geared towards building greater awareness about the significance and the abolition of slavery and the impact which slavery and the emancipated Africans had on Dominica’s history and present day society.

“At the same time Emancipation Celebration presents an opportunity to our artistes to showcase their talents and to celebrate the culture of Dominica and the region,” he stated. “In a broader sense emancipation also speaks to freedom, freedom to celebrate, a freedom to create as artistes, a freedom to promote love, to promote unity and peace in our country and in the world.”

Lawrence announced that for the first time this year, a Youth Music Festival will form part of this year’s Emancipation Celebration. It will be held on August 1st at the Old Mill Cultural Centre from 5:30 pm.

“To give the young people an opportunity to show off their talents and skills, especially in the area of music and we are trying to feature different genres of music performed by the youth of Dominica,” he noted. “It will feature a number of upcoming and emerging bands and individual artistes as well on different musical instruments…”

The event will be free.

The programme this year begins with an art exhibition staged by the Waitikubuli Artists Association and Dominica Export Import Agency (DEXIA), which will be held at the Windsor Park Sports Stadium on Friday 27th July from 5:00 pm, and will culminate with the annual Golden Drum Awards Ceremony & Concert to be held at the Old Mill Cultural Centre on August 4th from 5:30 pm.

He encouraged the public to participate in the various events.

The Theme for this year’s Emancipation Celebration is: “Building a Culture of Unity.”

Calendar of events is below.

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14 Comments

  1. Coincidence
    July 22, 2018

    Pardon me but big picture here is Dominica has a serious brain-drain issue if you have Justina Charles running culture and Ramond called back. Wheww Please! Ahh ..never mind.

  2. Persia Stephen
    July 19, 2018

    Same old stuff after 35 and more years our culture stagnant . When will the cultural practitioners get their dues ? Everything is volunteerism while they in Canefield getting big salary ,The performers got loans , children to educate and daily living too.

  3. Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
    July 19, 2018

    Raymond, find something constructive to do with your life. when they had you at DBS Radio talking fart, your voice was one of the worst to be heard, and transmitted via radio.

    Who cares about the crap you are talking about peaceful emancipation celebration?

    Do you have need for a riot; or are you instigating, and agitating  one. Colonial, and white oppression via  Slavery was abolished hundreds of years ago in the Americas;  including Dominica which is part of the Americas.

    Nevertheless; political, and economic slavery exists today in Dominica. Right now you are a political puppet with shackles around your neck hands and feet; it is time that you emancipate yourself from been a puppet in bondage of political slavery!

    You all had better stop talking to Dominicans as they are your children, an old man like you should be in retirement, but that is what economic and political slavery does to people they work to the very day they die in Dominica poor with nothing significant…

  4. Uncle
    July 19, 2018

    Fine words Raymond and I agree but you will have a tough job in Dominica because the power base of its leader is disunity as I see it. He can not help it but put people up against one another. Divide and rule you see he get power from that. Talking you up big in front of your face and stabbing you in the back later, ask Ian., I think that is a psychopathic thing and pure evil, trust me.

  5. July 19, 2018

    Are we an emancipated people? what makes one free? is being able to say, do, go where you want? or is having a diploma, bs, or phd (permanent head disease), true emancipation is freeing the mind that remains shackled by the thing we see, hear and do. There have never been decolonization of the former plantations, present day so-called leaders, are nothing but keepers of the status quo, managing discontent, while at the same time being partisan. We celebrate a feel good moment annually, not realizing, that emancipation was never meant for us as a people, we are still bent over backward, making others better than we are, some of us are willing to sit with the enemies to undermine Dominica, e.g the continuing passport issue, some take politics to quite a different level, creating life divisions among family and friends. Proper reasoning have not touched down on the island, animalistic mindset still plays a controlling role , light is still trying its best to emerge.

  6. Anthony P. Ismael Minister of Free Pmpers
    July 18, 2018

    Great message from Mr. Lawrence, however the sight of open dirty drains in the Roseau area is the leading cause of violence of blight, violence of the mind and violence of the eye-sight. It’s time to cover them.

    • Chester
      July 22, 2018

      I agree, is a dirty shame. They think visitors don’t even notice, how 18th century.

  7. %
    July 18, 2018

    Peace and unity? It’s a noble call,but this DLP administration,in all it’s desperation,will continue to spread and preach division.It comes from the leader,and his unsuspecting followers fo likewise.However there is hope because they are on their way out!!!!Good Riddance DLP!!!Wicked set of leaders!!!!

  8. Ibo France
    July 18, 2018

    Good message from the Chief Cultural Officer but he needs to direct his message directly to the current administration. I have always advocated for inclusion, cohesion, togetherness, unity by this government because they practise exclusionary politics. Their mantra is Divide and Rule. Red Clinic and the distribution of donated materials and money come readily to mind. If government becomes lawless and divisive, the rest of the society becomes lawless and divisive. Government has to act as a unifying force, be fair to all. The Skerrit-led administration should not see citizens as Labourites nor opponents but see all as Dominicans.

  9. Karl Orndem
    July 18, 2018

    where? in Dominica? laughable. Dominicans always disgruntle, if it is not one thing it is another. Never satisfied, always have somebody business minding, always hating on each other. Maybe now is the time for unity and peace, but that is a pipe dream here. If it have quiet, is because they waiting for something to happen.

    • nng1332
      July 18, 2018

      I like your name Karl Orndem hahahahaha…priceless

  10. marie-claire R Skerrit
    July 18, 2018

    Hold up nah “Chief cultural officer Raymond Lawrence” did he retire a few years ago. DNO please help my understanding of this inquiry. Thanks in advanssce.

    ADMIN: Yes he did retire but returned under contractual base.

    • marie-claire R Skerrit
      July 18, 2018

      Thanks DNO. Much appreciated for the response

    • marie-claire R Skerrit
      July 19, 2018

      Whosss my hater who dislike my comment you all i’m praying for your evil souls

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