WNAM REPORT: An international thematic conference titled “Towards the Decolonization of Guadeloupe: Challenges and Perspectives” was held in Baku, focusing on the Caribbean island’s struggle against French colonialism.
The event is jointly organized by the Baku Initiative Group (BIG), the United People’s Union for Guadeloupe’s Freedom (UPLG), the Guadeloupe International Reparations Movement (MIR-Guadeloupe), the International Committee of Black Peoples (CIPN), and the Force Movement for the Creation of the Guadeloupe Nation (FKNG).
The conference brings together leaders of political parties advocating for Guadeloupe’s independence, heads of activist movements, representatives from NGOs, academics, and other stakeholders.
Key topics under discussion included the status of Guadeloupe as an overseas department of France, which restricts the people’s right to freely determine their political future. Delegates also addressed colonial crimes, historical injustices, the near eradication of the indigenous Kalinago people, labor exploitation, inequality, and the persistence of administrative and economic structures that sustain dependency.
The ongoing colonial nature of the department status is linked to high unemployment, mass youth migration, social inequality, economic dependence, violence, environmental pollution, and the destructive effects of the toxic pesticide chlordecone in Guadeloupe.
The conference further highlights the urgent need to bring Guadeloupe’s right to self-determination onto the agenda of international organizations. Discussions include the United Nations’ legal mechanisms for decolonization and the failure of France to comply with relevant UN resolutions and declarations aimed at granting independence to colonized peoples.
For the first time in Azerbaijan, a cultural event titled “Guadeloupe and Azerbaijan Rhythms & Dances” will be held at the Green Theater under the auspices of the Baku Initiative Group. This concert will feature artists from both Azerbaijan and Guadeloupe.
The cultural program promises to enchant audiences with a harmonious fusion of Guadeloupean and Azerbaijani music. The renowned Guadeloupean Lakou Veranda Group will perform, captivating attendees with their unique rhythms and melodies.
