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Global Convention Finalizes Speakers' List

A P Kamath in New York

The names of academics, community leaders and social activists from over half a dozen countries who will address the 10th anniversary of Global Organization of People of Indian Origin is finalized.

The convention with the theme, "People of Indian Origin: Forming a Global Alliance," will be held September 24-26.

Authors and academics from more than a dozen universities including Columbia University in New York will discuss a number of issues about the Indian Diaspora. Among the issues to be discussed are racial labeling, interpretation and misinterpretation of Hinduism, and the conflict between Indian immigrants and immigrants from the African nations.

Friday, September 24th, 1999:

6 pm - Registration begins
7.30 pm to 10 pm - Cocktail Reception and Inauguration - Room Salon Ball Room.

Saturday, September 25th, 1999

8 am - Registration begins, coffee served.
9 am - Plenary Inaugural Session Room: Bellaire Theatre.
Introduction of Chair.
Thomas Abraham, GOPIO President, Stamford, CT, USA.
Welcome Address by Conference Chair.
Mahin Gosine, Suffolk County Community College, State University of New York.
Introduction of Theme Speaker.
Maya Chadda, William Patterson University, Mahwa, New Jersey.
Conference Theme Paper.
Brinsley Samaroo, University of the West Indies, Trinidad.
10 am to 12.30 am. Session I Room: Salon III.
Mapping the Diaspora: History and Common Issues.
Moderator: Bhanu Dwarika, Lincoln Hospital, New York.
Presenters:
Mohan Gautam, Leiden University, Holland: 'The South Asian Diaspora'.
Morton Klass, Columbia University, New York: 'The Use and Abuse of 'Race' and 'Ethnic' Labels: Overseas Indians'.
Monica Gordon, Walden University, New York: 'Labor Needs, Recruitment and the Incorporation of Indian Workers into the Social Fabric of West Indian Societies'.
Arthur W Helweg, Western Michigan University: 'Immigration Perceptions: The Case of Asian Indians and North America'.
Sebastian Devasia, Rajiv Gandhi Professor for World Order Studies, IIEE, New Delhi: "New International Politico-Economic Order'.
Discussant: Sahadeo Basdeo, Okanagan University, Canada.
10 am to 12.30 am Session II Room: Hamilton (2nd floor).
Religion: Secularism, Religion and the National Ethos.
Moderator: Jagat Motwani, GOPIO Secretary General, New York.
Presenters:
Dipak Malik, Benares Hindu University, India: 'National Ethos as a Background of Indian Diaspora'.
Soofia Hussain and Uday Naval, Society of Indian Academics, USA: 'Stacking-Up Traditions: Vitialization of Ethnicity Among New Immigrants'.
Reshmi Ramdhony, Mahatma Gandhi Institute, Mauritius: 'Symbols of Indian Culture in the Diaspora'.
Parasram Thakur, Community College of Rhode Island: 'Eastern Religion and Western Derision: Hinduism Misunderstood and Misinterpreted'.
10 am to 12.30 am Session III Room: Bellair Theatre.
Social and Cultural Issues: Women, Men and the Family.
Moderator: Sudha Acharya, All India Women's Conference, New York.
Presenters:
Ann Marie Bissesar, University of the West Indies, Trinidad: 'Dilemmas of East Indian Women in a Creole Society'.
Margaret Abraham, Hofstra University, New York: 'South Asian Women Organizing Against Domestic Violence in NYC'.
Sujata Warrier, Manavi, New York/New Jersey. Topic to be announced.
Mala Desai, Pragati, New York: 'Organizing South Asians in Queens'.
12.30 pm to 1.30 am lunch at the cocktail lounge.
1.30 pm to 4.00 pm Session IV Room: Bellaire Theatre.
Social and Cultural Issues: Intra-Inter Ethnic Conflict.
Moderator: Jyoti Barot, Suffolk County Multicultural Advisory Board, New York.
Presenters:
Chandrashekhar Bhat, Centre for the Study of Indian Diaspora, Hyderabad, India: 'Intra-Inter Ethnic Conflict Among Diaspora Communities'.
Asha Samad, City University, City University of New York: 'Indians in East Africa: Occupation, Religion and Caste'.
Moses Seenarine, Hunter College, City University of New York: 'The Persistence of Caste in South Asia and the Diaspora'.
John La Guerre, University of the West Indies, Trinidad: 'Politics and Ethnicity in Trinidad and Tobago Since 1995'.
Lakshmi Kalicharran, Guyana: 'Are We PIOs or International Harijans - India's Bastard Children?'
Discussant: Parmata Saran, City University of New York.
1.30 pm to 4 pm Session V Room: Hamilton (2nd floor).
Economics and Globalization.
Moderator: Ram Lakhina, GOPIO Chairman, The Netherlands.
Presenters:
Ramgopal Agarwala, Institute of Economic Research, New Delhi, India: 'Global Economic Trends: PIOs and India's Development'.
Sushila Patil, University of California, Los Angeles: 'Exploitation of South Asian Domestic Workers in the Diaspora"
Bhairavi Desai, New York Taxi Workers Alliance: 'Struggle of the Taxi Driver'.
Rohini B Ramanathan, Images International, New York: 'The Projected Role of Indian Americans in the New Millennium'.

Discussant: Sushila Gidwani-Buschi.

1.30 pm to 4.30 pm -- Youth Conference Program Schedule. Room: Salon III.
Conference Opening Remarks - Govind Dhaya, Brooklyn, NY.
Chairman Youth Program.
1.35 pm to 2.45 pm, a session on 'Empowerment Through a Strong Parent-Child Partnership'.
Moderator: Sandra Persaud, New York.

Presenters:
Sandhya Sheth, St. Christopher Family Development Ctr, New York, 'Preventing Parent/Child Communication Breakdowns.'
Christina Singh, Hofstra University, New York: 'On Culture and Identity: Self-assertion and Living in a "Multi-Cultural" society'.
Cyril Malika, Kerala Center Christian Youth Group: 'The Youth Perspective: Accepting Trust and Taking Responsibility'.
Shashi Tharoor, Executive Assistant to the UN Secretary General: 'Embracing The "American Dream" of Liberty, Equal Opportunity, Education and Peaceful Existence'.
Presentations followed by Panel/Open Discussion.
3 pm to 3.45 pm, a session on 'Education Part I: Informed Academic Goal Setting'.

Moderator: Shamida Parveen.

Presentation by: Members of Network of Indian Professionals and Academic Advisor of Stuvesant High School, New York.
3.45 pm to 4.30 pm the second part of the session, 'Mini-Conference: Relevant Career Paths for The 21st Century'.
Moderator: Tarique Nageer.
Presenters:
Natalie Hassan, New York University - Medical Assistant.
Sandra Persaud - Human Resource Administration.
Lesley Patel, NetIP - Respiration Therapy.
Cam Mohan, John Jay College - Forensic Sciences.
Speaker to be announced - Nutrition.
Sukhanya Krishnan, WCBS - TV Journalism.
4.30 pm to 6 pm Session VI Room: Salon III.
Politics: Human Rights, Political Participation and 'The New World Order'.
Moderator: To be announced.
Presenters:
Inder Singh, NFIA and GOPIO, Los Angeles, CA "Dalit Sing Saund: A Model for Political Participation.

K N Malik, Journalist and Writer, London, UK: 'PIO Influence in Britain'.
Sarita Boodhoo, World Hindi Secretariat, Mauritius: 'Political Leadership in the Indian Diaspora: A Case Study of Mauritius, Fiji, Trinidad and Guyana'.
Simboonath Singh, Ryerson Polytechnic University, Toronto, Canada: 'In Search of a Political Identity: Political Organization in the Wider Secular Indo-Caribbean Community in Canada'.
4 pm to 6 pm Session VII Room: Hamilton (2nd floor).
Politics: Human Rights, Political Participation and 'The New World Order'.
Moderator: Frankie Ramadar, College of New Rochelle, New York
Presenters:
Tara Singh, Guyana Watch, New York" 'The Cultural Awakening of Indians in Jamaica and Guyana'.
Michael Duvalle, New York State Assembly Candidate: 'Indians and Politics in New York State'.
Vishnu Bisram, New York City Board of Education: 'East Meets West: PIO Media'.
Gary Girdhari, Guyana Journal, New York: 'The Shattered Link: Perception, Reality and Social Distance'.
Dhanpaul Narine, New York City Board of Education: 'A Comparative Analysis of Indians in South America and the USA'.
Discussant: Kelvin Singh, University of the West Indies, Trinidad.
4.30 pm to 7.30 pm, the Diaspora Film Festival. Room: Bellaire Theatre.
Moderator: Mohan Gautam, Leiden University, the Netherlands.
Presenters: Mohan Gautam, Leiden University, Holland. "OHM Film Festival" includes three half-hour documentary films on the Indian Diaspora in South Africa, Fiji and Mauritius.
Philip Singer, Oakland University, California: 'Trance, Dance, and Healing in Guyana', and 'She Who Is God'. Two documentaries explore Hinduism, caste and identity in the diaspora.
Judith Johnston, Adelphi University, New York: 'Long Time: Visual Images of the East Indian Diaspora 1890-1930'. Photographic slide-presentation includes over 200 slides of studio portraits, civic sites, children, household/yards, work activities, and a great number of religious topics.
7.30 pm to 11 pm, a banquet and cultural program. Salon Ball Room.
Lal Motwani - Banquet Chair.
Asha Samant - Cultural Program Chair.
Sunday, September 26th, 1999.
8 am - Registration begins, coffee served.
9 to 10.30 am -- Concluding Plenary Session Room: Salon III.
Co-Chairs: Mahin Gosine and Moses Seenarine.
Presentation from each of the conference session from the previous day.
10 am - 12.30 pm, adoption of Resolutions. Room: Salon III.
Resolution Committee Members: Soofia Hussain, Uday Naval, Moses Seenarine, Ravi Kulkarni, Maya Chadda and Ram Lakhina.
12 pm - 2 pm GOPIO Delegates Meeting. Room: Salon III.

Co-Chairs: Ram Lakhina, GOPIO Chairman and Thomas Abraham, GOPIO President.

The convention will be held at Crowne Plaza Hotel, LaGuardia Airport,104-04 Ditmars Blvd, East Elmhurst, New York 11369. booking, $ 139/single or tel: 718/457-6300 (for direction and room double).

$ 10 for two days of conference (Saturday September 24 and Sunday, September 25).

Registration with lunch on Sept. 25th $35, Banquet on September 25 evening, $ 50, welcome reception on September 24 evening, $ 30, Convention Package (includes all the above) $ 100. Full time students with valid ID get 50 per cent off.

For more information, contact Thomas Abraham, (203) 329-8010, Secretary General Dr Jagat Motwani, (516) 735-9605, Treasurer Dr Sushila Gidwani-Buschi 914/693-4219, Asst. Secretary Urmila Chandanaveetil 212/213-1669, International Coordinators: Ram Lakhina (GOPIO Chairman, The Netherlands) (031) 71-5131321, Dharmatma Saran (USA) 718/845-0742 and Ashok Motwani (India) (091) 22 9821040566.

Write to GOPIO, P.O. Box 1413, Stamford, CT 06904, Tel: 203/329-8010 or fax 203/322-2233. The e-mail is gopio@t-three.com.

If you would like to post any information about forthcoming events or community happenings, please email the details to bettypais@aol.com

Information and photographs can also be mailed to Betty Pais at 87-52 108th Street, 2nd Floor, Richmond Hill, NY 11418-2229, USA.

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