 If you have attended any of our virtual or in-person events, you have heard us mention “COP27”. - What is it? Why is it important? - As we are vastly approaching the start of the conference, we would like to help you understand exactly what it is and the importance it has for our earth. COP27COP27 is the 2022 climate conference for the United Nations (UN). The official title is “UNFCCC COP”. UNFCCC = United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change COP = Conference of Parties The number that follows “COP” is the total number of meetings that the committee has held. This year will be the 27th meeting. Every year a different member nation of the UN is assigned to be the “COP President” and they are in charge of organizing the meeting. Egypt will host the 2022 conference in the city of Sharm El-Sheikh. The 26th conference was hosted by both Scotland & Italy, but due to COVID-19, the conference was delayed a year. The 2020 event resumed in 2021 and was held in Glasgow, Scotland. The United Arab Emirates will host the 2023 conference, but details have not been released yet. Any resolutions or treaties that are adopted tend to be named after the host city or country; i.e. in 2015, the Paris Agreement was formed in France. HistoryIn 1992, the UN held 3 Rio Conventions as a result of their Earth Summit in Brazil. These conventions became the “COPs” and focus on these key topics: Biodiversity, Climate Change, and Desertification. It was also in 1992 that 154 countries signed the “UNFCCC” as an agreement to help combat the harmful effects humans are having on the climate. While there are many different COPs, the term has almost synonymously been associated with the UNFCCC’s conference and thus this is why many refer to it only by “COP” + the number of the meeting. 2022This year marks the 30th anniversary since the UNFCCC was adopted and signed. The conference will look at uniting nations around the world, as well as reviewing the Paris Agreement. The world is far off from the goals set in 2015 regarding the Paris Agreement. COP27 has unofficially been dubbed the “African Cop” by the world, because of its location on the continent and the fact that many feel that the climate issues facing the continent should be at the forefront of discussions. There is also the hope that with the conference being on the continent of Africa, more Africans will have exposure to important events like this. ImportanceCOP27 is important because the earth is facing climate disasters at an alarming rate. EDFU Foundation will be attending the conference, along with some of our partners, to join the conversation and help create solutions on this concerning topic. This event presents a unique opportunity where national governments, businesses, politicians, and lobbyists are in the same space as non-governmental organizations (NGOs), activists, and civil society. There are also ministers of peace and negotiations present to help. We will update you on our experiences there, as well as actions that are being taken and discussions that are happening as a result of COP27. We will also continue to keep climate change as a priority issue as it continues to consistently affect Earth at an alarming rate. DonateDonate to EDFU Foundation if you can! Your support helps us continue the work we do and to be able to attend events like COP27 and create space for all to be included!
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EDFU Foundation held our first parallel event at the United Nation's ECOSOC Youth Forum! This year, the United Nations held their ECOSOC Youth Forum virtually this year from April 19th-20th. This year's theme was: "Building Back Better from COVID-19 while Advancing the Full Implementation of the 2030 Agenda". (The "2030 Agenda" refers to the Sustainable Development Goals.) The forum held workshops and dialogue opportunities for young people to talk to member states, stakeholders in civil society, and even private sectors. EDFU Foundation had youth attend on behalf of our organization. The forum held parallel events on April 18th, a day before the forum actually started. EDFU Foundation held our first parallel event at the Youth Forum. The event was titled "BIPOC Youth in Industry 4.0" and it was a continuation of our discussion from CSW66 and our panel on "Women in Industry 4.0". The virtual panel was moderated by our president, Sheldon Williams, and our board member, Dr.LaWana Richmond. Our guests included Kevin Nichols, Nathaniel Rose, Lekiesha French, Ko Williams, and Daniel Laster. The panel gave light and voice to the need for youth interest in technology and its development. The young members of our panel had the opportunity to ask the guests in the industry questions and express their accomplishments, as well as their concerns.  The panel is available for viewing at any time on our YouTube page or Facebook page. Follow along with us, because we are not done with this conversation! We need to keep the interest alive for our youth and we need continue to talk about issues and opportunities for an inclusive and diverse future.
a parallel eventfor the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues
On May 2, 2022, EDFU Foundation held a virtual panel discussion as a parallel event for the United Nations' Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.
The panel was moderated by our founder and CEO, Sheldon Williams. Our panelists were Dr. Amara Enyia, Dr.Dimah Mahmoud, and Paul Old Leitura.
The panel was a discussion about Indigenous people and their cultures and how they are connected to the African Diaspora. We also bridge the United Nations forums to how we can use these stages and spotlights to amplify our voices, and we're giving a look into the new Permanent Forum for People of African Descent.
If you missed the panel, we encourage you to watch it on replay. The video can be found below and it is streaming from our YouTube Channel.
During the panel, our host and panelists shared some great links to help you continue to learn more about the topics and issues discussed. We have gathered those links for you here! While watching the replay of the panel, please feel free to refer back to this blog entry to find all of the links discussed in the video.
A report by the Oakland Institute about the displacement of the Maasai in Tanzania. This article gives the story and facts about the issues the indigenous Maasai face in being displaced by the Tanzania government.
A report by the Oakland Institute about what the Maasai are doing to fight for their land rights in Tanzania.
Our Afronauts podcast interviewed Eric Holt-Giménez, who is the Executive Director of the Food First/Institute for Food and Development Policy In Oakland, CA. Eric spoke to us about how many of the foods we eat today came to be in the USA and how the indigenous peoples of these foods were exploited in the process.
If interested in African Food and Seed Sovereignty, watch this Seed Is Power Rally, cohosted by the Alliance of Food Sovereignty in Africa and A Growing Culture.
A powerful narrative about Seed Sovereignty in Africa by A Growing Culture. This video includes French subtitles.
If you live in the US, please consider signing this letter to support the call to Defund the Alliance of A Green Revolution in Africa.
 EDFU Foundation at CSW66 2022EDFU Foundation attended CSW66 virtually this year and held 7 parallel events between our organization and with our partners.
 50th AnniversaryThis was EDFU Foundation's 5th consecutive attendance at CSW and the 3rd consecutive CSW forum where we have provided parallel events. We were glad to provide educational, informational, and solution-based discussion on a variety of topics that effect the world. We were so happy to engage and meet with many who attended CSW66 from all over the world. We encourage you to leave comments and feedback for us. If you are an organization who would like to reach out to us to partner or work together, please email: edfufoundation@gmail.com  EDFU Foundation would like to thank our partners from CSW66.We enjoyed collaborating with you all and hope to work together in the future!
Nubian InitiativeSpring Of Light On February-6, 2018 EDFU coordinated a trip to Google headquarters for the youth of Oakland Military Institute (OMI).  President of EDFU, Sheldon Williams, was on hand to guide the children on their field trip and give them a unique and inspiring opportunity.  The children had fun touring Google and really enjoyed the food! EDFU would like to thank Google for allowing them to have this opportunity and looks forward to working with them and OMI in the future!
 Edfu Foundation is proud to help sponsor the following event :
The Sash Ceremony is a yearly event held exclusively by The KaLu Akademy & Early Development Center, a private, cultural educational program arm of The Temple of Human Spirituality in affiliation with Edfu Foundation. Join us as we share some of our program with the community as well as the accomplishments made by our Skarabs during the year. The KaLu Academy is unique in that it is not based on a grade to grade system like Western education. We, instead, have a three Sash system that is based on a curriculum structure created by the founder of The KaLu AKademy, Dr. Karaam Ellis-El. The Sashes represent a cycle of information, of development and of grooming for the Skarabs and allows them to move as fast as comfortable to them. In our Sash Ceremony, we acknowledge the accomplishment of our Skarabs and prepare for the continuation of our work for the coming academy year. We hold a commencement ceremony for any Skarabs who are graduating (Sash II completed) from the Academy. While still within the revenue districts of the city, we are compelled to match the Western educational calendar for the convenience of the working parents but soon, we will begin to utilize the true calendar, the solar calendar which will put us on a 38 hour day. This means that we will move faster and accomplish much more than we ever did. Today, we want you to celebrate with us. Celebrate the achievements of our Skarabs, celebrate the potential that KaLu has to offer our communities, celebrate the growth that we have attained in our few years here in Hampton Roads and celebrate what KaLu will bring for the coming days, weeks, months and years. We thank you for sharing in our growth and hope you enjoy our presentation. Tawuhaat. For more information: www.facebook.com/events/1031234706966851/ www.facebook.com/kaluakademy/  Juneteenth is the oldest celebration of the end of slavery in the United States of America. Join us for a day of racial healing, reconciliation and also to promote awareness about the ongoing problem of human trafficking and modern slavery. There are still over 35 million people enslaved in the world today, mostly women and children. There will be speakers from The MLK Jr. Freedom Center and The H.E.A.T Division of the Alameda County District Attorney's Office as well as A performance from praise dancers and Omega Psi Phi fraternity. Join us for this inspirational healing program designed with a First Peoples worldview.
For more information check out the links below: www.walkfree.org www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Slavery/SRSlavery/Pages/SRSlaveryIndex.aspx |
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