Kris Rampersad Speaks about Caribbean Cultural Assets

UNESCO Culture Consultant Kris Rampersad conducted a two day workshop for UNESCO, cultural policy-makers, and related interest groups from the Caribbean on the UNESCO Cultural Diversity Programming Lens (CDPL) in Grenada. She explained that the Caribbean is not making adequate use of international spaces where it can lobby for more significant representation of the region’s assets, such as its culture. Rampersad also warned against formulating cultural policies that may not be relevant to national and regional realities, saying that there is a delicate balance that must be maintained between the intrinsic value of culture and the economic potential of cultural products.

Rampersad stated that “The Caribbean has much to offer the international community when it com
es to our experiences of migration, adaptation, globalization, multiculturalism, cultural identities and evolution of old and the creation of new cultures.” She noted that the Caribbean has “a record of achievement of social cohesion from its cultural diversity.” However, she said, much of these Caribbean achievements and advances have not factored into the drafting of international instruments as the UNESCO Culture Conventions, and the discourse that has since arisen surrounding diversity, and protection and conservation of cultural heritage and assets.

Rampersad said the CPDL can help the region assess the value of these contributions. She pointed out that only six Caribbean countries to date have ratified the UNESCO Convention on cultural diversity, but there is now a “mad scramble” to do because of the launch of the Fund for Cultural Diversity which is only accessible by countries that have ratified the Convention. She stressed that Caribbean countries should ratify the Cultural Diversity and other conventions, but must do so with a clear purpose and an awareness of how cultural policies can “adequately reflect Caribbean experiences and are more relevant to Caribbean realities.”
 See video this page on new release: Festival Fables I the Sky & Me the Sea by Kris Rampersad. LiTTscapes - Landscapes of Fiction: Available on Amazon.

Kris Rampersad is an independent media, cultural and literary consultant l She holds a PhD in Global Literatures in English from the University of the West Indies.. She was founder and coordinator of the Trinidad Theatre Workshop Fund for Literature, Drama and Film and a founding member of the Friends of Mr. Biswas (Literary Restoration) Committee and the Commonwealth Film Fund.
 For more, to connect and to explore new resources and directions go to the GLoCal Knowledge Pot Website www.krisrampersad.com

For full article, see http://www.caribbeannetnews.com/news-23584–16-16–.htmlKris Rampersad Speaks about Caribbean Cultural Assets – Repeating Islands

UNESCO actions and funding under scrutiny, says Trinidad representative - Caribbean News Now

UNESCO actions and funding under scrutiny, says Trinidad representative

September 28, 2015

0

Dr Kris Rampersad

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad — Details of funds and activities that would impact small island developing states (SIDS) within the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) will come before the agency’s executive board’s 197th session in Paris next week.

This was among items promoted by Trinidad and Tobago’s representative on the board, Dr Kris Rampersad, along with Caribbean colleagues, at the Board’s spring (April 2015) sitting, which has had widespread support from SIDS and other states of the 58-member executive board.

“While SIDS has been on the agenda of UNESCO for some time, we felt that UNESCO’s focus on actions should be sharpened, and the budgets available to implement these be specified so as to not be lost among the wide range of activities of UNESCO in the spheres of education, culture, information and communications and science," Rampersad said.

“We requested the director general to present specific details of UNESCO’s focus on SIDS so as to assess what gaps needed to be filled, whether in relation to programmes or budgets," she added.

Rampersad has co-chaired UNESCO’s programme and external relations commission since 2014. One of three constitutional organs of UNESCO, the executive board is elected by the General Conference to prepare UNESCO’s programme of work and budget estimates and provide oversight to implementation of programmes and actions by the director-general.

Rampersad noted that some 45 other items will receive the board’s attention over the two- week period, including the contribution of the programme on management of social transformations (MOST) to the UN Post 2015 agenda, as she recalled that Trinidad and Tobago hosted the Latin American and Caribbean MOST ministers in 2012 while she chaired the national commission for UNESCO.

The board will also consider proposals to introduce an international day for the defence of the mangrove ecosystem and an International Access to Information Day, the contribution of UNESCO to combating climate change in COP 21; and UNESCO’s relations with non-governmental partners, she said.

Rampersad, who will also chair the Education Commission of the UNESCO General Assembly to take place in Paris in November, stated the executive board will further consider a protocol to set up a Conciliation and Good Offices Commission that would settle disputes between states parties to the Convention against Discrimination in Education, and a roadmap for UNESCO’s programme on preventing and addressing school-related gender-based violence.

It will examine recommendations for promotion and use of multilingualism and universal access to cyberspace, on the status of the artist, status of teachers (CEART) and higher-education teaching personnel.

Enhancing UNESCO’s Contributions to Promote Culture of Respect, reinforcement of UNESCO’s action for the protection of culture and the promotion of cultural pluralism, preparation of a global convention on the recognition of higher education qualifications; the outcomes of the World Education Forum 2015 and geographical distribution and gender balance of the staff of the UNESCO Secretariat are other agenda items that are of particular relevance to Trinidad and Tobago and the Latin Americans and Caribbean regions, Rampersad said.

UNESCO actions and funding under scrutiny, says Trinidad representative - Caribbean News Now

https://zizonline.com/unesco-actions-and-funding-under-scrutiny-says-trinidad-representative/

With BBC gone, who goin' take over town?

As the troops pull out, the triumphant shot of ownership, according to The Mighty Sparrow, was heard by the locals .....set against the lament when the BBC pull out ... revisiting this insightful exploration of post colonial mentality ....

The hue and cry from online and others readers, citizen journalists and media and other practitioners in the region over the BBC’s announcement of the forthcoming closure of its Caribbean radio news service is puzzling, and admittedly too, a wee bit amusing.   
Read More. Go to this link

Demokrissy's Independence Migration Evolution into portal of the Unfettered Imagination

In celebration of Independence, Demokrissy is migrating!
 Loyal followers of Demokrissy have been enquiring about the State of the State at Independence.

While the State itself might be slow to evolve, we are continue our revolution, smashing walls and barriers (read more and Subscribe https://krisrampersad.com/)





 

Our Novel Approach to Changing the Climate Addressing the Culture of Criminality

Children of Leela's Learning centre are glued to
Dr Kris Rampersad presenting novel ways of inspiration.

We have heard often enough the rhetoric that we cannot expect different results by doing the same things. We continue our solutions oriented approach to transformation and change through lifelong learning methods, with our novel angles and perspectives to reform the climate of despair to one of hope and nurture youth from ages 3 to 103 against the culture of criminality. And we remain hopeful that the apathy that has set in on leaders of industry, institutions, agencies and individuals, will begin to lift with this and our other methods. To support our efforts, read on... beginning at the beginning.
Read more here ...

To Learn More about the integrated approach to lifelong learning, I the Sky& Me the Sea, visit here 
If you would like to sponsor copies to schools, libraries and communities email lolleaves@gmail.com.
To find out more about LiTTscapes, LiTTours & LiTTributes is transforming the Global, Local & Caribbean environments and to partner and support these efforts  visit here

To find my new publication, visit Kris Rampersad Amazon Author Page
Learn more about Dr Kris Rampersad and how you can get involved here: 

Free to Know Loopholes in the Law of Right to Free Expressions

The Right to Know may be a natural human right but it takes laws to secure and protect it... here's why ... See link: https://krisrampersad.com/culture-of-secrecy-costs/

Find out more. Visit the MultiMedia LifeLong Learning Academy https://krisrampersad.com/portfolio/free-to-know-loops-laws-lore/

Notre Dame heritage landmark ablaze

Notre Dame church on fire...see more
https://krisrampersad.com/notre-dame-heritage-building-on-fire/

Creating Hope Where The Air Is Rare. Against the Odds A year in the life of... The incredible year that was 2018 in Review

The Miracle. The Magic.The Moments The Memories Media
 2018 in Review Surmounting the Odds Celebrating Awards
 Diversity Reggae on UNESCO List  https://goo.gl/ZHo31y 

Even as the political world grapples with the inadequacies of its democratic systems (Guyana, UK-Europe/Brexit; USA, and Trinidad and Tobago go into election mode - the list is long); as systems crash from the pressures of not just reconciling diverse interests and imbalances in access to resources, but greed, corruption and mismanagement; as the conventional media world crumble with some notable icons of era of the reign of the printing press laid to rest; as conventional institutional systems cling to decaying walls and structures made irrelevant by growing vitality of virtualism; augmenting the fervor for fake news, alternative facts and half-truths against reality, there are still core strengths, values and relationships that we can hold true.

 This incredible year - one which could have been most static, but with the love, strength, support and encouragement of valued friends and well-wishers, turned into one most eventful for our global interconnections in this roadmap of actions to end poverty, promote quality education and lifelong learning, thrive for gender equity, enhance cultural and social inclusion, environmental conservation that will allow for healthy lifestyles, clean air, water, oceans, sanitation, inclusive cities, partnerships. It takes one plus many other ones as the globe tap into our local actions, for indeed all global actions are first local.Our LiTTributes moved into North America - USA and Canada - proving relevance and adaptability in our drive to bridge cultural divides. Reaching out into the diaspora, to touch communities also grappling with issues of belonging and adaptation. Resource permitting, we will maintain our face to face, while we consolidate and expand our virtual interactions into a go to portal that promotes global understanding and communication about our interconnected connections. 

The year began with a January pre-Carnival farewell to former President Professor George Maxwell Richards (https://goo.gl/ZHo31y) who, with his wife, Dr Jean Ramjohn Richards kept their doors and hearts open to lend unstinting endorsement and support for our literary, education and outreach endeavours. Professor Richards was but a remote figure as Principal in my under graduate years at UWI, but became a ready patron as President to my literary campaign which also received the unstinting support of Nobel Laureate Derek Walcott and our drive to encourage literacy and develop a literary sensibility with the offer of literary prizes and a Year of Derek Walcott in 2005.The Presidency might be a rubber stamp institution and the President just a figurehead in the political process, but with creative guidance and direction, it can be a conscientious social force.

InterCultural Understanding and Local to Global Partnerships

LiTTributes continue to spread its wings as it evolves into a framework for connecting strands of journalism, oral and literary culture and community outreach for a pioneering initiative in journalism-in-action.  Now established is their adaptability and relevance to migrant communities grappling with issues of belonging, settlement, adaptation, inclusion, respect, appreciation of diversity, bridging and intergenerational divide as we engage with youth and empower communities towards achieving sustainable human development targets in the global goals.

There were beautiful surprises, too, in the appearance of my infant teacher, Miss Olive, who had since migrated, to declare how proud she was of my work and achievements as I was speaking at the Mother’s Day function on Mothers, Motherland and Mother Cultures and lessons from the migrant experiences of the colonial streams across Europe for the post-colonial voluntary migrations from the Caribbean to North America.  There is nothing as warming as the pride of a teacher in a student and it is a moment that will fire my drive onwards. As LiTTributes continue to awakening and deepening the consciousness of our intrinsic connections to North America, they bring into sharp focus, also, how our losses, are the gains of others and what we are losing for national development when we push our best mentors and trainers out to other societies. 

More of this as we explore new cross-cultural continental connections in the year ahead.

Additionally, the encounter with Catholic Reverend Father Terry Gallagher, one of the few remaining priests of the aging Toronto Scarboro Missions revealed the appeal of our initiatives to communities everywhere, and not just the diaspora or those marginalised.  As with our stumble upon the tomb-raiders of Mayaro in our inaugural LiTTour in Trinidad and Tobago, there was another surprise encounter at an impromptu LiTTour through the sacred ground of Canada's First Peoples, still one of  Toronto's best kept secret followed by intimate insights into the crumbling world of a centuries-old missionary endeavour in the face of evolving multiculturalism and appreciation of diversity. We will launch our production on that this year. With little resources, but our connections through the diaspora, we hope to expand this thrust in international cooperation in cross boundary collaborations for intercultural understanding in the new and coming years.  

Empowering Women in Leadership

It is these experiences and the decade of dedicated action for increasing the spaces in leadership for women that informed my representation of the value of the office of the President in welcoming the first Woman President of Trinidad and Tobago and the drive to ‘Change the Conversation’ about Gender and Leadership (https://goo.gl/GM4XpY) as in the national televised interview on the morning of her inauguration in March. It was a year to celebrate the increasing occupation of women in leadership and there was more reason to celebrate when Mia Mottley was elected as the first female Prime Minister of Barbados (https://goo.gl/xL3DEd), following on the election of Portia Simpson in Jamaica and Kamla Persad-Bissessar in Trinidad and Tobago.

 Even as we celebrated women’s achievements, it was tempered by the brutal slaying of fellow gender activist, a tragic end to the remarkable work of a national award holder, Haseena Ali, at her home signaling the pernicious presence of gender brutality. It recalled previous high profile unsolved murders of Claire Broadbridge (http//goo.gl/FHs3Fr), and Senior Counsel Dana Seetahal, both still stuck in the judicial system.

It is all the more meaningful that these activities also speak to the interconnected  global goals and targets towards respect, inclusion, equity and empowerment, quality lifelong education.

Stephen Hawking, with whom I had my own collision, of sorts while at Cambridge University, even before I knew we shared a common defiance of mortal odds, passed in March. He fuels efforts in the New Year to maintain quality healthy lives and promote well-being, and our focus beyond material and physical limitations to securing confidence and self-development.

                                                                                               
From Stephen Hawking who passed never receiving his a Nobel, to Sir Vidia Naipaul who did, the world is sadder. In the case of the latter, this is more-so in its inability to face his incisive truths about the ways of the world and one of the finest minds that has spanned the 20th and 21st centuries, makes it easy prey to the creeping culture of fakeness. The insights offered into appreciating his work from the context of his social upbringing, placed Demokrissy’s “Funeral Scores” among the trending news of the global think tanks, hungering for refreshing interpretations of our realities in the face of the reign of obtuse, biased and fake-newsdom.  In his honour and for the previous passing of Nobel Laureate Derek Walcott, we launched an initial Year of LiTTributes to the Laureates as a means of securing our legacies of learning and as key to developing inclusive communities and international cooperation. To build on the successes of LiTTributes, we are inviting further global partnerships and sponsors interested in exploring the impact of these on strengthening cultural connections as achieved with this initial odyssey through the Americas that also advance a range of sustainable goals (https://goo.gl/XjtMNs; https://goo.gl/o3xVTU)

Natural Disaster Preparedness

Demokrissy kept focus on and became a platform for a healthy information flow in this natural disasters, especially drawing from the thirty years in championing the environment and our natural heritage. The passing of the calypsonian in the wake of the devastating October floods and the heroism of the local people helping each other, spirited my calypso, a Symphony of Snakes, on indiscriminate housing, construction, pollution and state mismanagement. Our portal became a cchannel for information on disaster risk reduction and flood relief. (https://goo.gl/4LkUMy)

Icing the Celebrations 

I would meet President Weekes briefly in September as she pinned on the National Medal (Gold) for Development of Women/Journalism and some light banter during the photo-op on 'shoes that should not be hidden by our gowns’. Under the media spotlight that night, I took the opportunity to point out the ongoing inequalities represented in the deficient number of women Awardees. It is to bridge this invisibility and recognizing what a spoonful of encouragement can do that I have supported several award schemes for not just women, but media, literature, the arts and culture, having been so awarded myself. I hope to deepen this with relevant partnerships in the coming year. It is that responsibility to create a better space for others that all the women we have promoted to high office owe to our society as I capture in my account,  The Walk of Excellence: a life in 60 seconds to receive the National Gold Medal: https://goo.gl/wk4pBx.

 

A crowning achievement. Cultural Heritage Success: It is not often that we can assign tangible proof of results from work in education and outreach. More than a decade after laying the groundwork through initiatives of the Commonwealth Foundation and its partners and four years after interfaces with cultural communities, including the Reggae Movement and the last of Bob Marley and the Wailers, Bunny Wailer,  on the value of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Jamaica, Reggae was inscribed on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Register. The vision for promoting the seamlessness on a cross cultural platform that bridge religious divides, and intergenerational gaps, fostering elderly appreciation, uniting diverse groups  through culture, where diversity sparks curiosity and interest and inquiry and understanding, rather than tear apart, could not have been better exemplified in these literary odysseys and we look forward to the new connections to be forged.

Discovering New Talent! Fiction & Music
While trying to create and broaden opportunities in the creative sector and advancing creative synergies for young and old, I also stepped up efforts to release some of my own work, including fiction and others in a mixture of genres and exploring adaptations into new media forms and formats, more of which will be released this coming year.  It was a short story, I wrote for my nephew who was the first person to receive a perfect score in the Secondary Assessment Examination and became the toast of the town when the results were released in August, a little over a month after I was informed that the short story I wrote for him was also adjudged a winner in the writing context.

The shape shifting media environment

Following the insights offered on the role of gender and leadership in social change; as Newsday, one of the media institutions in whose founding I was involved, celebrated its 25th anniversary, I was invited to share some reflections. I chose the opportunity to offer insights on the role of media in social change and transformation at a time when the efforts at truth, solid and proactive journalism for social change is needed more than ever, even in the face of evolving roles of conventional media with the spirit of new media. Its on-going shape-shifting will continue to excite and challenge us into building bridges and reaching out to our human family.

We look forward to further inroads in our developmental paths which promise to deepen connections with Europe, Asia - India, China - these coming months, while at home we still pound at the doors to open up our education and other systems to the vast vistas of appreciation of our multicultural streams.

These are but the highlights - and this was all in a very slow year!

Those experiences  would have made my year, but there was so much more. 

It was preceeded by the LiTTribute to the Americas towards awakening and deepening the consciousness of our intrinsic connections in the American diaspora on the vast potential of cultural heritage encounters to education and the creative industries.

Here was the healing touch of another primary school teacher, Miss Marion whose incredible drive and optimism is the kind of  surfaced to link to the LiTTribute to the Americas with the Trinidad and Tobago diaspora where Kamal Abdool, Anglican Father Winston Joseph and  from the series that continues its journeying and will explore new cross cultural continental connections in the year ahead. sustainable cities and communities (SDG 11)  Peace Justice & Strong Institutions (SDG 16) and Global Partnerships (SDG 17)...It brings into sharp focus how our losses are the gains of others and what we are losing for national develoment when we push our best mentors and trainers out. 

-

Here are some of the highlights of 2018 from Demokrissy: 

International Women's Day: Believe in Yourself:

Can women make a difference to the development landscape and if so how? How can she serve the needs of youth, reducing crime, creating avenues of access for women and girls... #PressforProgress #WealthOfWomen

 See more https://goo.gl/KTu858
https://goo.gl/oCk1PB

A Celebration of Arrivals: 

literary genius through song music dance soca/calypso tassa and steelpan...  See more: https://goo.gl/ENz3GG

Extracts from my upcoming AutoBiography LIFE! HoleHeartedly! 

StephenHawking straddled science & fiction reflecting on our colliding cosmos, thought and an actual collision RIP 

...You might say I was, as he is, motor-challenged myself; 

I become aware that someone is looking at us. I turn. My attention is drawn to the twinkle in his eyes, ...The frail man nods again

... see more: https://goo.gl/ihvZv7

Women Power Leadership Inauguration of Trinidad and Tobago's

 First Female President Paula Mae Weekes

For developmental policy policy analyses email  see more: https://goo.gl/9qRByT

As we look forward to engaging with outer communities across the globe, and connect with other diasporas, through another Year of LiTTributes in the Americas, Europe and UK, Asia, africa and Australia, we recall the association with the Trinidad and Tobago Diaspora Corp, and Chapter 2 of our Florida Expositions will be A Journey of Silks and Spices, Heritage Routes of the Americas A Reading & A Roti...https://goo.gl/ADJQEs

Its World Heritage Day.
Come join us and hear about the unique creative potential of the Caribbean cultural connections with the Americas through cultural heritage 

More:  https://goo.gl/PR8ijA

and explore the link see you tube video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xm7r7-8amRs

Hear about the food culture, heritage routes, the silk routes, the spice roots and under explored connections with the Americas.

Sunday April 22, 2018 from  pm at Lallo's Restaurant in Lauderhill
Saturday April 21 at South County Civic Centre, Delray Beach, Miami
Book Now
Book You Copies of LiTTscapes - Landscapes of Fiction: Limited Edition
Limited Copies  Heirloom publication of our disappearing landscapes and cultures.
 click on you tube video links

Global education statistics suggest that boys lag behind in reading in a campaign  #Don'tForgetTheBoys.
The experience of our boys are different.
Our efforts look beyond the statistics and engage boys and girls of all ages to appreciate reading in  novel ways through culture-specific forms as we promote inclusive societies.
We are redefining multiculturalism to bridge the gaps between generations, between cultures, between genders and scaling walls that create inequity and discrimination through literacy and literary elderly and intergenerational appreciation. For See more:  https://goo.gl/mhm4p2.   Enquirie?s email lolleaves@gmail.com

My Musical Debut: on the steelpan, the national instrument, with tutor Randolph Karamath.
The steelpan and calypsonian along with other national and homegrown village festivals and festivities are featured in the section FesTTscapes in LiTTscapes - Landscapes of Fiction.

https://goo.gl/TaFYnc

Our Creative Conversation - synergies between the literary and performing arts in the spirit of Exploration, Entertainment Education and Empowerment through Novel lenses with music, song, dance, and recitation. Engaging generations. All ages. All interests. Tailor made to your events and special occasions. By Request Only.
Learn more. Next stop Toronto. #LiTTributeToToronto https://goo.gl/TaFYnc
Join our LiTTours or Request Your Own email loleaves@gmail.com

Dr Kris Rampersad, author, heritage educator and journalist, has urged the diverse populations of the Americas to build bridges through walls.

Rampersad is on a literary tour dubbed LiTTribute to the Americas 2018 across North America and Canada aimed to promote intercultural dialogue showcase the connections with literary heritage and other experiences of peoples of the Americas inspired by her commemorative book LiTTscapes – Landscapes of Fiction. LiTTscapes has been hailed for its efforts at bridging the gaps among the diverse cultures of the Caribbean.

Dr Kris Rampersad, author, heritage educator and journalist, has urged the diverse populations of the Americas to build bridges through walls.Rampersad is on a literary tour dubbed LiTTribute to the Americas 2018 across North America and Canada aimed to promote intercultural dialogue showcase the connections with literary heritage and other experiences of peoples of the Americas inspired by her commemorative book LiTTscapes – Landscapes of Fiction. LiTTscapes has been hailed for its efforts at bridging the gaps among the diverse cultures of the Caribbean.

The Canadian appearances begin as guest of the Zoomers’ Association annual Mothers’ Day celebrations at the Erin View Residence Hall, Mississauga, Ontario ...for your own event requests email lolleaves@gmail.com

Speaking at A Celebration of Arrivals in South Florida USA last week accompanied by steelpan music, calypso, and dances, Dr Rampersad told of how these cultural forms were the bedrock of the literary culture. Creating linkages between the two can encourage appreciation of literature and encourage reading that can foster greater appreciation of other peoples and cultures, she said. se more: 

It's our royal wedding of island and continental culture.
Spicing up appetites with creative conversation our LiTTribute to the Americas Canada Section continue LiTTributes to ToronTTO with our global journeys through the Landscapes of Fiction at @Windies Restaurant, Scarborough Toronto this Sunday....

Want to book your own email lolleaves@gmail.com
What is the role of the Royal Ontario Museum​ and like arts, film,  music, performance and culture institutions in advancing post colonial societies?
How can the media  in both mainstream and ethnic communities better represent the multicultural spectrum of Canadian diversity?
How can we better utilise the vast numbers of cultural arenas and mechanisms to bridge cultural
divides and create the connected world touted by the Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau with his multisectrum Cabinet?
How can they better serve the array of cultural communities through the multicultural policy directions of Canada and our ...see more:https://goo.gl/oXEyqu

Dr Kris Rampersad
receives a surprise visti from
her ABC teacher Miss Olive
during LiTTribue to Toronto

Reaching Out the Diaspora: Migration, Mothers, Motherlands, Mothercultures Mothers' Day in Canada
Cover Girls edge Meghan-Prince Harry off the front page!
Centuries into the women's liberation movement, it may still be everygirl's dream to marry, and to a Prince, but who would think that the Royal Wedding mania that has gripped Canada through Toronto could be upstaged by a revolution!
Toronto is gripped with pride as the city that intiated the romance ...see more https://goo.gl/SFDsV2
Who was your first teacher? Who taught you ABCs and encouraged your love of books? Tag him or her.

My first teacher, the woman who taught me to read, Miss Olive, now 80 years old, showed up at my LiTTribute to ToronTTo tribute to mothers Motherlands and Mothercultures jogged my memory of my earliest encounters with reading in my infant class and triggered memories that helped me connect early beginnings to my efforts at creating culture-friendly reading and learning materials....
Contact us if you want to become an associate, partner or sponsor. Find out more through our social media channels.
Let us tweak your special event into a LiTTribute or develop a LiTTour that reflects your value to our world. Email lolleaves@gmail.com

See more: see more: https://goo.gl/9pMKgJ: 

Who says the Monarchy is not media friendly eh?

A picture, they say, tells a thousand words ... so what would they say of this one, eh, of encounters across the Commonwealth and winning the Prince's trust.
I pause for HRH Prince Charles to finish his walk of pride with the Star-Spangled bride of Hollywood Meghan Markle on his arms to be wedded to my charming jahai bhai, Prince Harry. Looking forward to ... Our LiTTribute to ToronTTo is dedicated to our Commonwealth family through novel lenses of Commonwealth fiction. See you, in spirits of our Commonwealth at our Reading and a Roti at Windies Restaurant, Toronto this Sunday at 3 pm for more of these Commonwealth Conversations, beyond the days of Rum, Curry and Cricket. Oh Canada!

Congratulations to Mia Mottley, another Caribbean woman to break through the political glass
ceiling!
Let's change the conversation on gender, leadership and development. What does her clean sweep of the polls, leaving no opposition in Parliament mean for governance in a traditional two party political system? What lessons can she learn from her sisters in the Caribbean, Kamla Persad-Bissessar and Portia Simpson?
Would her policy and decision maing agenda make a difference to the entrenched culture of politics, culture of business, culture of corruption, culture of crime and criminality, culture of discrimination, marginalisation, opportunism, nepotism and entitlem

The increasing incident of violence and extremism in schools emerged as a core concern of educators, parents, religious, community and cultural heads identified the sense of alienation by migrant and first generations and challenges with adapting to their adopted societies.

The concerns were raised during the LiTTributes to ToronTTo...see link: https://goo.gl/K7zxry

June: Expanding the literary presentations: The world of Fiction

June - July: My Short Story, Munie's Multicultural Musical Masquerade wins international contest for its pioneering experimentation in mixture of modern literary genres including audio/visuality/music contained in short story literary frame.

August: Saying Farewell to Sir Vidia Naipaul: Launch of LiTTributes to thhe LaureaTTes  A Global initiative to celebrate the literary and oral heritage tradtions and achievements of the Caribbean, its diaspora and Trinidad and Tobago and the socio-cultural milieu that produced the Caribbean's two Nobel Laureates Sir Vidia Naipaul and Derek Walcott - this folowing initiatives on The Year of Derek Walcott and Tribute to VS Naipaul. As we move into this in full swing this year. We embark on our internatinal actions even as wecontinue to try to raise awareness and sensitivity for reform of the education system and approaches through LiTTscapes, LiTTributes and LiTTours. Send your invitations for partnerships, sponsorships, and let us craft your events and activities on cross cultural connections, intergenerational understanding, elderly appreciation, and inclusion and respect. Email lolleaves@gmail.com  

September:
In Celebration of Newsday's 25th Anniversary: Featuring the Newspaper's first lead story which I wrote on the note of 'good news' on which the paper was launched as one of its pioneers, I recalled the trials and triumphs of starting the new publication.

Receving the  National Award for Development of Women (Gold) and recap of the The Walk of Excellence in the 'unforgiving minute' of 60 seconds worth of distance run durng the Annual Republic Day Celebrations

October

An impromptu epic and prophetic 'extempo' of the life and works of the Mighty Shadow, written and released two days following his death aligned to the diaster and citizen response to the October 2018 floods in  Dr Shadow’s Snakess Symphony: https://goo.gl/tB6WhE

November:

Reading as sedition:

I Read Therefore I Crime: Reading, Crime Censorship Cultural Conditioning and The Sedition Act

Join Our Reading Revolution - The
Reading Room Outside The Reading Room
email lolleaves@gmail.com for LiTTours
 see video https://goo.gl/JDfgNg

I think, therefore I am!
I Read therefore I crime!
It is so traceable, so many of our cultural attitudes and behaviour, nurtured and conditioned by hand me down colonial intelligence and practiced by the new massas.
We do not have far to go to see the roots of criminalising of intelligence, the quest for knowledge, and critical thinking, even by the institutions charged with protecting them,would rather expend their energies to seek to criminalise attempts like this to raise consciousness about the oversight and  plagarise rather than do active research and work to get meaningful revisions. So one doesnt have to go far to understand that all talk about building a knowledge economy is all hot air! It feeds a national climate of insecurity that extends way beyond crimes of violence.

December: Woman of the Year

I have always been home for Christmas, no matter how far away I roam.

The pieces represented here tell those tales,...

In a year that began and ended in sighs and for many a sense of despair...

more https://goo.gl/JNxBVp

Subscribe YouTube:

Follow: LinkedIn

             FaceBook

           Twitter

             Instagram

         PInterest

Bog: Demokrissy

Related Links:

Celebrating Jamettry: https://goo.gl/Dnd3FJ

Changing the Conversation on Gender and Development: video: https://goo.gl/h4DY2X

Contact: Website. FB KrisRampersad1. T @krisramp. LinkedIn. InstaGram. PInterest. YouTube

Website: https://goo.gl/FDLQdg:

See online profile Research Writings Documentaries: https://goo.gl/bqk1Tq

I Read therefore I crime: https://goo.gl/GpbKWX

Musical and Poetic Biography Tributes

Dr Shadow’s Snakes’ Symphony Tribute to Heroism in the Flood those asking if I really wrote this

Carnivalising the Constitution: People Power and the Pursuit of Happiness Congratulations to Dr Machel Montano: https://goo.gl/Phk7HN

Jus Call Me Cooligan Bois and Bacchanal in Meh Blood: https://goo.gl/MJwgML

Ode to JurisPurdence: https://goo.gl/qm3m3J

Letters to Lizzie: Nikki Minaj/Maharaj Pound the Alarm: https://goo.gl/JXZ442

Like coochoor? The Funeral Scores musical and otherwise: For Sir Vidia Naipaul https://goo.gl/XjtMNs

Reflections Death of Sir Vidia S Naipaul https://goo.gl/o3xVTU

Nobel Tears: Nobel Bard: Derek Walcott Sower in the Sky: https://goo.gl/aKR5pD

Prophesy A.Bourdain and Aboud. Port of Spain and Lebanon :  https://goo.gl/zwtyWq

Yo Ho Ho Piracy and Heritage: https://goo.gl/TvXOHU

Disaster Risk Reduction & Management 101 Flood Relief here to Go How to Help https://goo.gl/4LkUMy

https://goo.gl/DMxAtB

Flood Disaster Trinidad: Plan your evacuation warnings issued https://goo.gl/PRpXhb

Rio Claro Through the Kristal Bowl

One moment in time: story of a storyteller extraordinaire: https://goo.gl/xn1XfC

The Walk of Excellence: a life in 60 seconds to receive the National Award for the Development of Women: https://goo.gl/wk4pBx ;

 https://goo.gl/SBPg7B

What My Mother told me: https://goo.gl/CxBJrr

Changing the Conversation on Gender and Leadership https://goo.gl/GM4XpY

Nobel Blogging: Demokrissy trends with global think tanks https://goo.gl/8cVB8g

The Funeral Scores. Sir Vidia Naipaul final farewell in a fanfare of Naipaulian fictive irony https://goo.gl/NQibgR

Year of LiTTributes to Laureattes  https://goo.gl/oW81Nm

Demokrissy trends with worlds leading think tanks https://goo.gl/ua3rXm

My Collision with Stephen Hawkins: https://goo.gl/Fx47Ak

Reflections on the Death of Nobel Laureate Sir Vidia Naipaul see link https://goo.gl/7eBP5a 

Authors Tete-aTete Dr Kris Rampersad and Sir VS Naipaul  https://goo.gl/gU11Jv 

Noble Tears of a Nobel Bard Death of Nobel Laureate Derek Walcott  https://goo.gl/WXbMpv

Sportscapes Cricket Games We Play LiTTours: https://goo.gl/ENum7X

TheMagic and Realism of gabrial Garcia Marquez RIP https://goo.gl/s7y2oc

Pat Bishop: The Killings, the curfew… https://goo.gl/DgFk9E

Lagahoo tribute to the independent spirits: https://goo.gl/C7kND1

Earth Quake Earthquake

Youtube video: https://youtu.be/A8TgWZPuEkE

LiTTscapes: Facebook: https://goo.gl/HBJsmM

Five Year Old Child Stars at LiTTribute: https://goo.gl/fn3oTR

One LiTTle bookshop: LiTTscapes and the Nobel Laureate https://goo.gl/cpvr2T

Launch LiTTribute: https://goo.gl/g1mmED

Through Novel lenses Youtube   https://youtu.be/_zWHPEQCqHA

LiTTscapes Child Star Tops SEA: https://goo.gl/iNqt32

Prophesy A.Bourdain and Aboud. Port of Spain and Lebanon :  https://goo.gl/zwtyWq

Devil’s WoodYard, Earthquake Aug 2018 https://goo.gl/myXCAQ

Migrants Motherlands Mothercultures https://goo.gl/MGrnPQ

Heritage a vehicle of understanding against extremism violence https://goo.gl/gpfGPp

Gender Bender Mia Mottley takes political helm in Barbados https://goo.gl/xL3DEd

In the News LiTTributes attract award winning newspaper https://goo.gl/n2GsG9

Bridging Cultural Gaps LiTTribute to ToronTTO. See link https://goo.gl/jLHTBE

Yo Ho Ho Piracy and Heritage: https://goo.gl/TvXOHU

A Diaspora Celebrates: LiTTribute to the Americas See link https://goo.gl/brUkjH

Join us or commission your own Creative Conversations: https://goo.gl/qPBzef

Arresting the Tears Hayti I’m Sorry https://goo.gl/6sy3y6

Towards State of the Art Museum: https://goo.gl/FfHfJL

Murder and the Museum: http//goo.gl/FHs3Fr

Celebrating Nationhood But Can new Save the Nation https://goo.gl/qSqJtT

my-discoverie-columbus-lost-and-found https://goo.gl/ixGu7y

Pat-bishops-last-struggle-killings https://goo.gl/tQUySt

Them-red-house-bones

A-tale-of-two-skeletonsJurisprudence An Ode https://goo.gl/Gmn7l0

Ah Drinking Babash https://goo.gl/GhMncz

Lagahoo-tribute-to-independent-spirits https://goo.gl/P6gP2Q

 Murder and the Museum  http//goo.gl/FHs3Fr

Woman in the mirror https://goo.gl/pvnX9d

The Triumph of Gollum in the Land of Shut Up Suicide of the Fellowship of Partnerships Book 11. A Sequel Futuring the Agenda Forward  https://goo.gl/HU3rp3

Celebrating Jamettry The Sacred and the Sacriligious

https://goo.gl/oCk1PB

Demokrissy https://goo.gl/FHs3Fr

The Human face of constitutional reform https://goo.gl/6escjj

Pat-bishops-last-struggle-killings https://goo.gl/tQUySt

Them-red-house-bones

A-tale-of-two-skeletons

Arresting-tears-for-us-and-haytian-globe:

Yo Ho ho and a bottle of rumhttps://goo.gl/TvXOHU

 Demokrissy https://goo.gl/FHs3Fr

Changing the World with Ideas  goo.gl/Pa6jAk

Lagahoo-tribute-to-independent-spirits

http://kris-rampersad.blogspot.com/2017/08/creating-revolution-through-knowledge.html

http://kris-rampersad.blogspot.com/2015/08/a-world-inspired-littscapes-turns-3.html   https://goo.gl/J1EFn5

http://kris-rampersad.blogspot.com /from-beirut-to-port-of-spain-how-west.html

The-price-of-passion-awards-and-rewards

 https://kris-rampersad.blogspot.com/2017/07/the-price-of-passion-awards-and-rewards.html

 Power Failure Media Blackout Brets Muffled Threats and Ransoming Father: https://goo.gl/YjbBgx

Jurisprudence-rip-obituary-walcott.html

my-date-with-narendra-modi-dat-merkel affair

Of-diasporas-migrations-arrivals.

Elixirs-of-entrepreneurship-The Emperor and I 

Ah-drinking-babash-in-this-fo-rum

Nobel-tears-of-and-for-nobel-bard

Things-that-make-me-go-steups-stars http://kris-rampersad.blogspot.com/2016/12/things-that-make-me-go-steups-stars.html

The Walcott Files

Breezes-of-tropical-arab-spring

In-war-and-peace-from-hiroshima-to-home.html

A-path-out-of-mayhem-and-murder

Turning-our-dreams-to-shame-rip-asami

Focus-resources on real crime

jus-call-me-cooligan

The world-in-fishbowl

The-other-magnificent-seven

Tribute-to-literary-mentor

The-human-face-of-constitutional-reform

The-ghost-of journalism past

OverCopulation - The Archbishop The Priest The Politician & The Journalist

Ask About LiTTscapes,

Ask about LiTTours and LiTTributes

Diplomats get stimulating LiTTour 

Murder She Wrote: Death Written in Stone in Dana Seetahal Assassination

@krisramp, @KrisRampersadTT, @lolleaves, @sirkenrobinson, @level5leaders, @pankajghemawat @potus @un @unesco @culture @time @life @nytimes @narendramodi #narendramodi @krisrampersad #krisrampersad @theguardian @heritage

 @BJP4India #BJP @Priyankachopra #PriyankaChopra#merkel @EmmanuelMacron #EmmanuelMcrona #JohnTrudeau @travelchannel @usatoday @BBCWorld @BBCWorldHaveYourSay @TEDtalks @TEDNews +britishcouncil@engageats.co.uk @britishmuseum, @britishcouncil, @britishlibrary, @Royal_Gov_UK, @justintrudeau, @helenclarkeUNDP, +Google for Nonprofits  @googleartsandculture, @econculture, @commonculture, @writersdigest, @nytimes, +PBS NewsHour +Breaking News +BBC News +news@news.ideastap.com +info@takingitglobal.org +Open Society Foundations @richardbranson, @billgates, @melaniegates, @gatesfoundation, +G Singh, @clintonfdn, @WJClibrary, @clintonglobal, @librarycongress @google, @googleresearch @yahoo, @yahoonews, @yahoomovies, @ABC, @CNN, @REUTERS, @ABC, +Kamla Persad-Bissessar , +Prakash Ramadhar, +John van Tiggelen, 

@FoxNews, @UKinCaribbean, @WBCaribbean, @TheEconomist, @wef, @economictimes, @business, @businessinsider, @wsjbusiness, @wsj womenshealth, @wsjmag, @people, @fortunemagazine, @ellemagazine, @oprah, @O_magazine,  @OWNTV, @oprahbooklist, @voguemagazine, @twitterwomen, @womenintheworld, @UN_Women, @womenatforbes, @womensmediacentre @womensenews,

2018 in Review:

May:

Another Woman Takes the Helm Caribbean Politics: https://goo.gl/wU2mvU

The Prince and I Royal Rendevouz Across the Commonwealth: https://goo.gl/9pMKgJ

Heritage a Vehicle for Understanding Violent Extremism: https://goo.gl/K7zxry

The increasing incident of violence and extremism in schools emerged as a core concern of educators, parents, religious, community and cultural heads identified the sense of alienation by migrant and first generations and challenges with adapting to their adopted societies.

The concerns were raised during the LiTTributes to ToronTTo...see link: https://goo.gl/K7zxry

Our Knowledge Revolution Thank a Teacher: https://goo.gl/Hg23sK

Royal Wedding in Toronto Upstaged

https://goo.gl/SFDsV2

Journey of Creative spices and music: https://goo.gl/sFW8iL

From Village to Global Village: https://goo.gl/C3ofos

Literary Odyssey in the news: https://goo.gl/oXEyqu

Our Cultural connections: https://goo.gl/nb9pe3

Steelpan Debut: Creative Conversations: https://goo.gl/TaFYnc

Bridging Gaps: Don’t Forget the Boys: Equity n Education: https://goo.gl/mhm4p2

Happy World Heritage Day: https://goo.gl/PR8ijA

Culinary Journey Of Silks and Spices:  https://goo.gl/r9oedQ

LiTTribute to the Americas: https://goo.gl/ADJQEs

March:

Women Leadership and Power: Empowering the Presidency: https://goo.gl/9qRByT

My Collission with Stephen Hawkings. View from the Cosmos: https://goo.gl/ihvZv7

Changing the Conversation Gender Leadership: https://goo.gl/KTu858

30 Christmases https://goo.gl/JNxBVp

Dr Shadow’s Snakess Symphony: https://goo.gl/tB6WhE