Calendar of Upcoming Events
Saturday, January 25, 2020
GRAHN-Switzerland 3rd Annual General Assembly Moderator: GRAHN-Switzerland President Dodley Alexandre Maisons des Associations, Jacquard Room, Plainpalais, Geneve 6:00-9:00pm
The annual business and strategy meeting of GRAHN-Suisse will focus will discuss program results and initiatives, the nomination of new Board members, a financial report , and seek new partners toward achieving the goals of our NGO.
GRAHN-Monde, 10 Years Already: A Symposium on Haiti Key Presentation: GRAND-World Vice-President Jean-Marie Bourjolly, Professor at Quebec University in Montreal will present his new book Haiti: A Country to be Undeveloped Moderator: Dr. Samuel Pierre, GRAHN-World President Ecole Polytechnique Montreal, Montreal, Quebec CANADA 7:00pm-10:00pm
10 years after the catastrophic Haitian earthquake, GRAHN-Monde, the organization reflects on its projects and successes in Haiti.
Recent Events
UN Observes 10th Anniversary of Catastrophic Haitian Earthquake
On January 15, more than 300 people from diplomatic missions, various United Nations agencies and NGOs, local media and the general public in Geneva attended a special United Nations celebration of the 10th anniversary of the earthquake that decimated Haiti and killed more than 200,000 people in January. 12, 2010. The event, held at the Palais des Nations, also commemorated the 102 United Nations personnel who died in the earthquake.
After an introduction, a video message from UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres offered his continued support for relief and reconstruction efforts in Haiti. Representatives from OCHA, the United Nations Office in Geneva also offered words of support.
Ambassador Pierre André Dunbar of the Permanent Mission of Haiti to the United Nations delivered an inspiring speech offering his gratitude to the various actors who have worked diligently in Haiti before and since the earthquake, and called on participants to support new economic development initiatives and improving civil society and ongoing relief efforts.
Representatives of the European Union, States of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and diplomatic missions of Trinidad & Tobago, Brazil, Chile, the Dominican Republic, Indonesia and Japan paid tribute to the victims of the quake.
A minute of silence was offered to pay tribute to the victims of the earthquake. The United Nations Choir in Geneva and the Haitian artist Lucia Chery entertained the audience with inspiring musical numbers. A reception for all attendees followed the event.
10 Years Later, GRAHN-Switzerland Recalls the Controversies Resulting from the Catastrophic 2010 Haitian Earthquake
On Sunday, January 12, GRAHN-Switzerland President Dodly Alexandre moderated a discussion marking the 10th Anniversary of the 2010 Haitian Earthquake which killed more the 200,000 people and decimated the country’s fragile economic and physical infrastructure. The guest discussants were GRAND-Monde Vice-President Jean-Marie Bourjolly, professor at Quebec University in Montreal and Brazilian Professor Ricardo Seitenfus, the noted author and Ex-Chief of the Organization of American States (OAS) in Haiti.
The event, held at the Maison des Associations in Geneva, saw a diverse audience listening attentively while Professors Seitenfus and Bourjolly, on SKYPE from Brazil and Canada, respectively, dissected the relief and reconstruction efforts following the 2010 quake. They gave their views on squandered relief and reconstruction efforts, critiques of UN agencies and NGOs which led post-quake relief and development initiatives, and government corruption.
After a brief series of announcements and refreshments, a spirited question and answer period followed and a number of critical issues were posed to each scholar by audience members, among them the work of the Clinton Foundation in Haiti and that a deadly cholera epidemic was largely created by UN staff. The event was co-sponsored by the African People’s University of Switzerland (UPAF) in Geneva.