{"id":110006,"date":"2018-04-30T12:00:52","date_gmt":"2018-04-30T11:00:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/?p=110006"},"modified":"2018-04-26T10:42:40","modified_gmt":"2018-04-26T09:42:40","slug":"democratic-space-in-adverse-times-milestone-at-haitis-university-of-the-aristide-foundation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/2018\/04\/democratic-space-in-adverse-times-milestone-at-haitis-university-of-the-aristide-foundation\/","title":{"rendered":"Democratic Space in Adverse Times: Milestone at Haiti\u2019s University of the Aristide Foundation"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\"\"<\/a>

Photo: Aristide Foundation<\/p><\/div>\n

20 Apr 2018 – <\/em>March 18, 2018 marked exactly seven years since Haiti\u2019s former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide and Mrs. Aristide returned to Haiti from forced exile in South Africa, where they lived following the 2004 coup d\u2019\u00e9tat that overthrew Haiti\u2019s democratic government. On their return, they began to rebuild the University of the Aristide Foundation [UniFA] whose land and buildings had been appropriated, converted to military barracks and trashed by U.S. and Brazilian troops during the coup.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

On the 7th anniversary of that historic return, UniFA held its first graduation ceremony in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. A delegation of Haiti solidarity activists from the U.S. was honored to be there representing Haiti Action Committee, Black Alliance for Just Immigration, Global Women\u2019s Strike, and the Haiti Emergency Relief Fund.<\/p>\n

In a joyous celebration attended by over 1000 people, UniFA graduated 77 doctors, 46 nurses and 15 lawyers. The setting was beautiful, the stage decorated with flowers and banners in the blue and white colors of UniFA. The famed Philharmonic Orchestra of Sainte-Trinite played Haitian folk music as well as classical music throughout the event. Cameras were everywhere to record the occasion, which was widely and prominently reported in Haitian media. The UniFA choir, joined by the entire audience, sang Haiti\u2019s national anthem, and later the song of UniFA. Two young men carrying the flags of Haiti and UniFA proudly led the procession of Faculty at the opening of the ceremony.<\/p>\n

As a child, one of them \u2013 soon to become a UniFA graduate \u2013 lived at Lafanmi Selavi,the center for street children founded by Aristide when he was a priest. His success is an example of the university\u2019s commitment to overcome social barriers limiting access to higher education. \u201cEducation sans exclusion\u201d \u2013 education without exclusion \u2013 is a central theme of UniFA, imprinted on its logo and manifest in every detail of this remarkable event. The exhilaration that infused the occasion spoke to UniFA\u2019s broader commitment, expressed by Mrs. Mildred Aristide, \u201cto break down the long tradition of exclusion of the poor majority in Haiti from access to higher education.\u201d<\/p>\n

At the podium, Dr. Jean-Bertrand Aristide, President of UniFA, stood to address the gathering. His speech emphasized that the University\u2019s role is not only to instill academic knowledge, but to promote ethical lives and nurture students\u2019 relationship with their community. He spoke of the African philosophy of Ubuntu, which recognizes that the essence of social consciousness can be expressed as \u201cI am because we are\u201d \u2013 a person becomes a person through community. Dr. Aristide said that \u201cit is not easy to eradicate evil at a macro level. But, on a micro scale, you can fight it rationally.\u201d He noted that, \u201con a global scale, science is advancing, consciousness is declining. May your professional conscience contribute to the awakening of social consciousness.\u201d<\/p>\n

To highlight this point, towards the end of the ceremony, each graduating class \u2013 MDs, nurses, and lawyers \u2013 pledged their commitment to serve their people. In a country with fewer than two doctors for every 11,000 people, UniFA\u2019s graduate physicians are already practicing medicine in regions throughout Haiti where formerly there were no doctors. It is a hopeful victory in difficult times.<\/p>\n

After all the graduates received their diplomas, there was a \u201cpassing of the torch\u201d ritual during which graduates from each program passed a flaming torch to a student from the upcoming class. Gifts were presented to the valedictorians, and finally, the graduates celebrated with friends and family under an outdoor pavilion on the beautiful campus. Long years of effort to reach this day were visible in faces filled with grace, joy and pride.<\/p>\n

One of UniFA\u2019s chief architects, Mildred Aristide, an attorney and Haiti\u2019s former First Lady, describes the university\u2019s broader mission to nourish democratic space within an undemocratic country:<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u201cHaiti vitally needs a safe space where young people can come together, think country and construct a future under difficult circumstances\u2026 an institution that will address national issues and seek viable solutions to national problems. Dreams of working, prospering and changing Haiti \u2013 not chasing after a foreign visa or a job with a foreign NGO. This is UniFA\u2019s commitment.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

UniFA was born out of Haiti\u2019s grassroots struggle for democracy during President Aristide\u2019s second administration in 2001. It recruited medical students from poor families in each of Haiti\u2019s nine departments, equal numbers men and women. Talented young people from rural Haiti previously found it nearly impossible to attend medical school. UniFA sought them out, asking only their commitment to return to work in communities throughout Haiti after completing their training.<\/p>\n

By 2004, 247 medical students were studying medicine at UniFA. A School of Nursing was planned to open in the fall. The February 29, 2004 coup d\u2019etatbrought all of this progress to a halt. The faculty and staff were forced into exile or hiding within the country. United Nations and U.S. military forces drove the students off campus, turning the site into military barracks. The campus remained under the control of foreign forces until 2007 when it was officially turned back over to the Aristide Foundation for Democracy.<\/p>\n

The University opened with three goals:<\/p>\n