And the train has officially left the station…the kick-off tothe October 24th launch of Next Stop: Brooklyn/Dakar has begun!
Our most important work: with Senegalese youth
School does not officially begin in Senegal until October 8th, but early in September, Lyceed’ExcellenceBiragoDiop officially came on board, identifying their class of Seconde S (equivalent to US grade 10) as project participants. IA will meet with them and their parents on October 16th and 20th to introduce them to the year-long project.
Making global connections
MCCA in Washington, DC
Atthe end of September, IA Curator/ Program Director NgantiTowo traveled to Washington DC to participate in a colloquium organized by Museums Connect. Our international network continues to grow with the addition of new collaborators Pacific Aviation Museum of Pearl Harbor, who are leading a similar project.
IFAN in Dakar, Senegal
In Dakar, ImagiNationAfrika entered into a partnership with the L’ InstitutFondamentald’Afrique Noire (IFAN) in Senegal, one of Africa’s premier research museums with one of the largest collections of African art in the world. Students participating in Next Stop: Brooklyn/Dakar will interview the Museum’s Head Curator, IbrahimaThiaw, as part of their research. They will also have access to some of the museum’s archives relating to the Bamako-Dakar train line and the various peoples living and working around and for it.
Expanding our team
Interns
Early September saw the recruitment of six interns (meet them on our FB page!)who went through an intensive training on leadership and project management. Stay tuned to this blog and our FB page to meet them and follow their experience leading projects.
Teachers
We are excited for the upcomingtraining sessions with participating teachers! Six teachers of history, geography, civic education, French, ICT and English will start on the year long project with a three-day IA training, starting October 17th.
Sessions will include:
- value-driven behaviors
- questions as a basis for learning
- how to integrate primary resources in the teaching of history, how to access archives in Dakar.
- appropriatefacilitation techniques for student-directed projects
Public Relations Partners
To help us get the word out, ImagiNationAfrikacemented partnership with two agencies: Agency 3W for social media; and Groupe 30 Afrique for communication with the press, the public and institutions.
Museum networks
On the web, IA joined museum networks and partners such as State Alumni ExchangesConnect, AFRICOM, and the International Association of Museums of Children.
The countdown
We are headed straight for the big day: November 7, 2012. More than just ‘a launch’, this is really the birth of a project focused on building creativity and initiative for children. The ceremony will be attended by representatives of the Ministries of Education and Culture, the Embassy of the United States, the Senegalese press, and our many partners. Stay tuned for more info!
Train Dakar-Bamako
The interns at work
Mr Ibrahima THIAW Directorof the IFAN Museum