Institute for Policy Studies
Date & Time

May 20, 2008
11:00am to 12:30pm

Location

Institute for Policy Studies
1112 16th Street, NW; Suite 600
Washington, DC, USA

Haiti: Addressing the Root Causes of the Current Food Crisis
Briefing and trip report from Members of a recent Rainbow PUSH delegation to Haiti.

Haiti, the first country in the African world to defeat colonialism, grew rice and exported food 30 years ago. Today, widespread hunger and political unrest have severely destabilized the Caribbean nation.

Reverend Jesse Jackson recently led a delegation of 23 religious, political, and Haitian-American leaders to bear witness to the crisis in Haiti and recommend action strategies for the U.S. and the international community. Recommendations include the need for food and agriculatural development as well as debt cancellation, fair trade, and immigration reform.

Speakers
Marliene BASTIEN is the founder and Executive Officer of Fanm Ayisyen Nan Miyami (FANM). Rev. Dr. Harold VIEUX is Chair of the Miami Dade County Community Relations Board and Assistant Pastor of Trinity Church. Emira WOODS is Co-Director of Foreign Policy In Focus at the Institute for Policy Studies.

Moderator
Jean Yves Point-du-Jour also known as Yves DAYITI hosts a weekly bilingual Haitian show, “Konbit Lakay” aired Saturday evenings on Pacifica's WPFW 89.3 FM.