Forever Africa Conference and Events (FACE) is a Pan-African initiative brought together by staff and students at the University of Bristol. Its aims include establishing and strengthening Pan-African staff and student links within the university, Bristol, nationally and internationally across research and education initiatives.
The launch event will take place at the University of Bristol on 9 June and will be dedicated to setting a Pan-African agenda for the next 12 months and beyond, with long- and short-term goals that involve the cooperation of communities, HE staff and students, professionals, NGOs, corporations, and more.
In an interview with Ujima Radio, Dr Foluke Adebisi talked about her vision for FACE:
“The idea of the conference is to bring together students, researchers, NGO's, innovators, community people, who identify as from Africa or with Africa, and bring everyone together and celebrate this identification and also work […] on what do we do next.
It's bringing those [student, research, HE, NGO, corporate etc.] links together, celebrating, but also moving us forward, so that we don't just keep talking about the misrepresentation of Africa but we then begin to re-represent Africa in its positive and complete light.”
In her interview Foluke also reflects on her studying experience, both in Nigeria and in the UK, the importance of representation and issues surrounding curriculum changes, perceptions of Africa, and the power of narratives and how to change them. To read a transcript of the full interview please click here: Foluke Adebisi interview transcript (PDF, 194kB)
In April 2018 Foluke received an ICONS award for 'Formidable Dedication and Innovative Pursuits for Africa' at The International Students Conference for Africa (TISCA) at Leicester University.
She recently wrote an article for the Socio-Legal Studies Association (SLSA) Blog: ‘Speaking of Decolonization, Law, Race and the Legal Curriculum at SLSA 2018’, which can be read here.
On 20 May Foluke was invited to give a talk at the Bristol Museum about the Benin bronzes on display there. The text of her talk, ‘Benin Bronzes – a controversial past and present’, can be read on her blog Foluke’s African Skies, a website dedicated to Africa and her diaspora, an examination of Africa through critical discourse, humour, poetry and personal reflection.