NABSW 2013 International Conference Proposal

NABSW International Conference Site

Proposal for 2013

This proposal is to present 3 possible

sites locations with cultural and tour

considerations for the 2013 NABSW

International Conference

Proposal Contents• The African Connection

• Cost Comparison

•PanamaRiu Panama

PlazaPanama City

Tours

•PanamaRiu Panama

PlazaPanama City

Tours

•Costa RicaRamada

HerraduraSan José Tours

•Costa RicaRamada


•St. ThomasFrenchman’s Reef

ResortMorningstar Bay

Tours



Tours

• The trans-Atlantic slave trade took place from the 16th through to the 19th centuries. The vast majority of slaves transported to the New World were Africans from the central and western parts of the continent. Sold by Africans to European slave traders, Africans were transported to the colonies in North and South America. The numbers were so great that Africans who came by way of the slave trade became the most numerous Old-World immigrants in both North and South America before the late eighteenth century.

• The South Atlantic economic system centered around making goods and clothing to sell in Europe. The numbers of African slaves brought to the New World continued to grow to support this industry. This was crucial to those European countries who, in the late seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, were vying in creating overseas empires.

• The word '''Maafa''' (also known as the African Holocaust) is derived from a Kiswahili word meaning disaster, terrible occurrence or great tragedy. The NABSW International Conference will continue the Pan-African study of the ongoing suffering of people of African heritage through slavery, imperialism, colonialism, apartheid, oppression, invasions and exploitation across the world.

THE AFRICAN CONNECTION

PANAMA

Afro-Panamanians

• Panamanians of African descent are 15% of the population in Panama. The Afro-Panamanian population can be broken into the "Afro-Colonial", Afro-Panamanians descended from slaves brought to Panama during the colonial period and the "Afro-Antillean", West Indian immigrants from Trinidad, Barbados, Martinique and Jamaica, brought in to build the Panama Canal. Afro-Panamanians can be found in towns and cities Colón, Cristóbal and Balboa, Río Abajo area of Panama City, the Canal Zone, and province of Bocas del Toro.

• The first blacks to arrive in Panama came with Vasco Núñez de Balboa, in 1513. Panama was a very important territory because it had the shortest point from the Atlantic to the Pacific. Goods were taken from ports in Portobelo and Nombre de Dios, transported overland to ports in Panama City and reboarded on ships headed to South America. Initially, Indian labor was used. Due to maltreatment and disease, the Indian population was decimated. Bartolomé de Las Casas advocated getting slaves from Africa. By 1517, the trade in Africans were on the way. Initially slaves were used to work the land and maintain ships in port. Later they were used to transport goods across the isthmus. The transporting of goods was grueling - not only the thousands of miles of terrain, but bad weather and attacks by Indians.

Afro-Panamanians• In 1904, the United States purchased France's rights to the

unfinished canal for $40 million and began the Herculean task of carving a canal through the isthmus.

• The presence of the Canal changed lifestyles in the country. A people that had primarily earned their living as subsistence farmers now gained most of their income from the Canal. The canal employs about 3,500 United States citizens and some 10,000 Panamanians.

• Among the available housing areas assigned to canal employees are Balboa and Ancon on the Pacific side and, on the Atlantic side, Cristobal, Coco Solo, and Margarita. Gatun and Gamboa are communities primarily for people who work at the locks or in dredging and hydroelectric operations.

• Today, Panama has many skyscrapers and all the associated social conditions

Full Day Panama City Tour & Miraflores Locks•Take a private tour of Panama City and the Miraflores Locks. Start the tour with a 30 minutes drive to Miraflores to see the huge vessels passing the Panama Canal. The busiest hours are from 9am to 10am and from 2pm to 5pm, so you will be able to see many ships getting lifted or lowered 16 meters in two distinct steps. Enjoy the view on the Locks from a sheltered terrace and listen to the explanations of your guide. To complete the visit of the Canal you will visit the Museum and Visitor Center at Miraflores which gives you a good idea on the construction of the Canal – a masterpiece of engineering. Also learn about the history of the canal and its significance for Panama and the entire world trade as well as on the current expansion project.

•After the visit to the Canal, continue to the Amador Causeway, a road that connects three Islands in the Pacific Ocean and offers magnificent views on the Canal on one side and on the skyline of Panama City on the other side. Lunch will be served in a Panamanian restaurant on the causeway. After lunch the tour continues to the Casco Viejo, Panama City’s colonial quarter. At the Casco Viejo you feel set back in time as you admire the lovely colonial houses, the narrow roads and the impressive churches. You will get a good idea about Panama’s history by driving or walking through the main attractions of this quarter. Continue the tour to Panama Viejo, the Old Panama. Panama Viejo was the first European settlement on the Pacific coast of the Americas. This first Panama City was looted and destroyed by the notorious English buccaneer Henry Morgan in 1671 and therefore abandoned. Today there are only ruins left. Still, the tower of the ancient cathedral is standing and has become a landmark of the town.

Tours – Panama City

Full Day El Valle MarketEl Valle is a small mountain village located in an extinct volcano crater. It is famous for its sunny though cool climate and for its daily morning market (biggest on Sundays). Travel to El Valle, about 2 hours west from Panama City. On the drive you will cross the famous Bridge of the Americas and ride along the Pacific Coast before turning uphill to the mountain village. Every day many local families come from all the valley to El Valle to sell their goods on the colorful market. Purchase regional products such as stone soaps, ceramic articles, hand-made wooden baskets, wooden gifts, etc. Prices are negotiable. If there is time left, you can visit some of the other El Valle attractions such as the natural hot springs, the petroglyphs, the zoo "El Nispero" or the stunning waterfall "Chorro Macho"

Note: The market is open every day - however, on Sundays it is bigger than on other days.


Panama Canal Railway, Portobelo & Embera Indian Village•Undertake a train trip on the historical and original railway course from Panama City to Colón. This 1-hour travel leads you through the jungle and along the Panama Canal. This course was finished in 1855. The French Panama Canal company had acquired the railway line in 1880, as an assistance to build the Canal. In 1904 the Americans bought the Canal and the railway line and were operating it line until 1979. In 1998, Panama privatized the railway line and renewed it completely. Since 2001, the course is again passable and a unique attraction.•Continue from Colón to the port of Portobelo. This port was the gathering point of the Peruvian treasures in the 15th century. The gold and silver was shipped from here towards the metropolis of the empire, and in addition, Portobelo was the center of control and inspection of the goods, which arrived from Spain. The ruin complex is built and set up in the middle of the tropical jungle and covers a set of fortresses, castles and military bases.•After this historical excursion, you will continue to an Embera Indian Village on Rio Piedra. A fascinating and dense jungle will accompany you on a short boat trip to the village. Upriver, you will step out of the dugout canoes and enter the village of the Embera Indians, one of seven indigenous tribes in Panama. The village's chief will give you a brief explication on the history of the tribe, its traditions, cultures, beliefs and how they life today. Then, a traditional lunch of fish and plantains prepared by the Embera women will be served to you. In the afternoon you will experience a traditional Embera dance and have the opportunity to shop for handicrafts. The sale of local products directly benefits the village and helps to pay the school fees for the children.


Riu Panama Plaza – Panama City

Proposed Conference Hotel

• 645 Guestrooms• 21 Conference Rooms• 1 Business Center• 1 Gym• 1 Spa & Wellness Center• 1 Open-Air Pool w/Jacuzzi• 1 Beauty Salon• 3 Restaurants• 3 Lounges• 1 Gift Shop


Accommodations Air Meeting Space

Single $3100 pp.Double $1635 pp.Triple $1335 pp.•Gratuities •Daily Buffet Breakfast•Deluxe Room 14 Nights•RT Shuttle Service•Wi-Fi•24-Hr Room Service

Air $620 pp.•Nonstop•John F Kennedy (JFK) Tocumen Intl (PTY)

5 Days $550 pp.•2 Coffee Breaks (AM/PM)•2 Screens•2 Data Shows•2 Microphones & Speakers•Laser Pointers•Wi-Fi & Tech Service


Full Day Panama City Tour & Miraflores Locks

Full Day El Valle Market Panama Canal Railway, Portobelo & Embera Indian

Village

Miraflores LocksOld Panama Casco Viejo Museum Lunch

$75 pp.

National ParksLunch

$80 pp.

Train TicketMaria Chiquita Portobelo MuseumEmbera Village Entrance/LunchNational Park Entrance Fee

$120 pp.

• Transportation• Entrance fees • Bilingual guide• Lunch• Duration: 6 hours• Bring: Comfortable shoes,

Camera, Sunscreen, Water• Important Note: Old Panama is

closed on Mondays.

• Transportation• Bilingual guide• Duration: 8 hours• Bring: Comfortable clothes and

shoes, camera, hat, sunscreen, sunglasses

• Transportation • Entrance fees • Bilingual guide• Lunch• Duration: 10 Hours• Bring: Comfortable clothes and

shoes, camera, hat, sunscreen, sunglasses, water

Tours – Panama City Options

All Tours Include transportation on deluxe A/C motor coach, gratuities not includedFull Day Cruiser Bus / Up to 45 Passengers: $592.00

COSTA RICA

Afro-Costa Ricans• Three per cent of the population is of Black African descent (called Afro-

Costa Ricans) and are English-speaking descendants of 19th century black Jamaican immigrant workers. The indigenous population numbers around 1%, 41,338 individuals. In the Guanacaste Province, a significant portion of the population descends from a mix of local Amerindians, Africans and Spaniards. Most Afro-Costa Ricans are found in the Limón Province.

• The first blacks that arrived to Costa Rica came with the Spanish conquistadors. Slave trade was common in all the countries conquered by Spain, and in Costa Rica the first blacks seem to have come from specific sources in Africa- Equatorial and Western regions. The people from these areas were thought of as ideal slaves because they had a reputation for being more robust, affable and hard-working than other Africans.

• The following century witnessed a gradual lessening of the abysmal differences between blacks and their white owners. As whites took black women as their concubines, they freed the children that were born from this union. The same thing started to happen with the "zambos" or the products of the union between Indians and blacks. Some analysts have suggested that this tendency to free slaves was due in part to the desire of the owners to free themselves of the economic burden that slaves had become in a poor country such as Costa Rica.

Afro-Costa Ricans

• Costa Rica's early black population was "dramatically upwardly mobile" and by the 1920s a majority of the West Indian immigrants owned plots of land or had risen to higher-paying positions within the banana industry. Unfortunately, they possessed neither citizenship nor the legal right to own land. In the 1930s, when "white" highlanders began pouring into the lowlands, blacks were quickly dispossessed of land and the best-paying jobs. Late that decade, when the banana blight forced the banana companies to abandon their Caribbean plantations and move to the Pacific,

• “White" Ticos successfully lobbied for laws forbidding the employment of gente de color in other provinces, one of several circumstances that kept blacks dependent on the largesse of the United Fruit Company, whose labor policies were often abhorrent. Pauperized, many blacks migrated to Panama and the U.S. seeking wartime employment.

• Costa Rica's black population has consistently attained higher educational standards than the national average and many blacks are now found in leading professions throughout the nation. They have also managed to retain much of their traditional culture, including religious practices rooted in African belief about transcendence through spiritual possession (obeah), their rich cuisine (codfish and akee, "rundown"), the rhythmic lilt of their slightly antiquated English, and the deeply syncopated funk of their music.

Irazu Volcano, Orosi Valley & Lankester Gardens

•Drive up the magnificent Irazu Volcano. The winding road travels through fertile lands cultivated with all kinds of vegetables as we observe a lovely panoramic view. As we descend to the city of Cartago we will stop at the Virgin of the Angels Basilica. •Then the trip continues to Lankester Gardens, a University of Costa Rica Center for investigation that protects more than 800 species of orchids, bromeliads and countless species of other plants.

Tours – San José

• Continue to the Valley of Orosi where creation overflows in unparalleled beauty. We will be able to visit one of the few remaining colonial churches and we will stop for lunch in one of the local restaurants. During our tour we will be able to observe La Casa Del Soñador an example of Costa Rican primitive art.

Poas Volcano/ Doka State Coffee Tour & Butterfly Garden & City Tour You will ascend towards the volcano passing thru coffee plantations, and then continue our trip through fern, flower and strawberry farms. At the Poas Volcano you will have time to enjoy the impressive main crater with its sulfur fumaroles, and hike on a trail to the beautiful Botos Lagoon. Continue to Doka Estate Farm, where you can learn about the production, the harvesting, the processing plant and the roasting of the grain, besides our other natural attractions like the butterfly garden and beautiful landscapes and surroundings.

San Jose City TourStarting on the East side of San Jose you will visit the Democracy Place and the National Museum, the Courts, Los Yoses, San Pedro Mall, Hispanidad Fountain and the Rodrigo Facio Campus in the University of Costa Rica. After we have seen the capital’s main attractions, our first stop will be in the impressive Pre-Columbian Gold Museum and the beautiful National Theater where we will have a guided visit through them. Then the tour continues to the western section of San Jose: La Sabana Metropolitan Park, Costa Rican Contemporary Art Museum or the first International Airport in Costa Rica, the National Gymnasium, the Comptroller’s office, residential area of Rohrmoser, Nunciatura, Nobel Peace prize winner Oscar Arias Sanchez’s home, Rohrmoser Boulevard and Pavas section.

Tours – San José

The Full Day of Enchantment Tour!In addition to learning about the great cultural richness of rural life in San Antonio de Escazu, explore the majestic hills that unfold on the beautiful town of Escazu!At 8 a.m., our local guide, who has lived his entire life in San Antonio de Escazu, will join the group in San Rafael. Here, he will begin to tell the history of Escazu. Once in San Antonio, we will visit the Catholic Church, which is a cultural heritage site. Then, we will go to the Encanto-Piedra Blanca/CODECE Offices, where one of the founders of CODECE will offer an interesting talk about the Association’s conservation efforts.After putting on our rubber boots, we will start the walk through the hills of Escazu (2 hours). The area shows an impressive view of the Central Valley and rich flora and fauna. In addition, there is quite a variety of stories and legends in the area! The local guide will explain the path through the Cerros de Escazu, taking into account the uses and meaning of the mountain for farmers, as well as the oral tradition which revolves around the Cerros. At the Cerros, we will enjoy some fruits of the season.At the end of the walk, an ox driver and his beautiful typical cart will be awaiting visitors to finish up with a ride. The next visit is to the masques factory, where we will learn more about the tradition of the masques and open-air festivals or “turnos” in Costa Rica, and observe how these colorful masques (an important attraction in the festivities of Costa Rican people) are manufactured. Visitors will participate in a masque-making contest and the winner will receive a nice surprise.After the talk, the local guide will lead visitors to the “Don Torino’s sugar mill”, which still uses oxen to get the juice of sugarcane. We will know how sugar cane is processed: how cane juice becomes the well known “tapa de dulce”. To finish, we will enjoy, at the Cuevita de Zárate, a delicious typical lunch with “olla de carne” prepared by excellent cooks of San Antonio de Escazu who partner in the project.

Tours – San José

Ramada Herradura – San JoséProposed Conference Hotel

• 229 Guestrooms• 1 International Conference Center• 3 Open-Air Pools• 5 Jacuzzis• 3 Restaurants• 1 Bar• 1 Casino• 1 Beauty Salon• 1 Spa• 1 Fitness Center• 1 Gift Shop• 1 Business Center

Ramada Herradura – San José

Accommodations Transportation Meeting Space

Single $2565 pp.Double $1490 pp.Triple $1275 pp.•Superior Room 14 nights•Wi-Fi•Calls to USA/Canada•Daily Breakfast•Gratuities•RT Shuttle

Air $700 pp.•Nonstop•John F Kennedy (JFK) Juan Santamaria (SJO)

5 Days $300 pp.•Whiteboards, flip charts, pilots & podium•Technology (sound for 100 people, wireless microphone, 120'' screen, 3000 lum projector and cable for PC sound)

Ramada Herradura – San José

Irazú, Lankaster & Orosí Valley

El Encanto de la Piedra Blanca Poás Volcano, Coffee Tour & San José city tour

$95 per person $102 per person $102 per person

• Transportation• Entrance fees • Bilingual guide• Lunch• Duration: 9 hours

• Duration: 6 to 7 hours From 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.• Local guide, hike, fruits and water, sugar mill visit, mask maker’s workshop, traditional lunch.• Difficulty level: medium. We recommend this tour for hikers lovers.• Recommendation: bring an extra pair of shoes and socks because during the hike we have to cross a river.

• Transportation • Entrance fees • Bilingual guide• Lunch• Duration: Full day

Tours – San José

All Tours Include transportation on deluxe A/C motor coach, gratuities not included

ST. THOMAS

St. Thomians• The Danish conquered the island in 1666, and by 1672 had

established control over the entire island through the Danish West India and Guinea Company. The land was divided into plantations and sugar cane production became the primary economic activity. As a result, the economies of Saint Thomas and the neighboring islands of Saint John and Saint Croix became highly dependent on slave labor and the slave trade.

• In 1685, the Brandenburgisch-Africanische Compagnie took control of the slave trade on Saint Thomas, and for some time the largest slave auctions in the world were held there.

• Saint Thomas was known for its fine natural harbor, known as "Taphus" for the drinking establishments located nearby. In 1691, the primary settlement there was renamed Charlotte Amalie in honor of the wife of Denmark's King Christian V.

• While the sugar trade had brought prosperity to the island's free citizens, by the early 19th century Saint Thomas was in decline. The continued export of sugar was threatened by hurricanes, drought, and American competition.

St. Thomas Island Drive This tour is an excellent way to get an overview of the entire island. Participants will visit the Estate St. Peter Greathouse & Botanical Gardens, the fabulous panoramas found at Drake’s Seat overlooking Magen’s Bay and will stop at Mountain Top for a complimentary banana daiquiri and shopping. When the tour is finished, (approx. 2.5 hours) the group will be taken to Ft. Christian near Emancipation Park in Charlotte Amalie where they will be on their own for shopping in the historic district. A return ticket for the Frenchman’s Reef Shopping Ferry is included for the return to Frenchman’s Reef at leisure

Tours – Morningstar Bay

St. John SafariThe St John Safari is considered a "Must Do," among Frenchman’s Reef guests. This trip picks up at the resort's dock and takes you straight over to Cruz Bay, St John. An open air safari truck will be waiting for you to begin exploring the island. Where you are immediately taken on a climb up the mountain to a lookout point of the surrounding islands, "It feels like your driving through Jurassic Park - no one around but massive birds and lush canopy." After taking award winning pictures you descend down to Annenberg Sugar Cane Mill, part of the National Park (where the rum was made for pirates). You then wind down to the famous Trunk Bay to explore the underwater snorkel trail! Finally, you relax downtown for shopping, lunch, and even happy hour cocktails. Your ferry awaits your return to The Frenchman’s Reef with complimentary Rum Punch.


Coral World Ocean ParkVoted top attraction in the V.I. Get up close and personal with the beauty and magic of Caribbean marine life in a stunning setting. View life on a coral reef from the unique Undersea Observatory. Pet a shark, hand feed a stingray or a rainbow lorikeet! Add-ons include brand new Sea Lion Splash, Shark and Turtle Encounters. We provide admission and organized tours as well as special evening events.


St. CroixHOVENSA refinery closed in February 2012 resulting in about 2,000 workers loosing their job. The economic losses over the past 3 years were reportedly caused primarily by a weakness in demand for refined petroleum products due to the global economic slowdown and the addition of new refining capacity in emerging markets.

•The social, psychological, economic and health impacts have been devastating for the Black community

•Social and mental heath health support are critical to the survival of the community.

Hovensa Refinery

Frenchman’s Reef – Morningstar Bay

Proposed Conference Hotel

• 478 Guestrooms• 31 Meeting Rooms• 5 Restaurants• 2 Bars• 2 Lounges• 1 Business Center• 4 Outdoor Pools• 1 Beach• 1 Spa & Salon• 1 Fitness Center


Accommodations Transportation Meeting Space

Single $4235 pp.Double $2335 pp.Triple $1705 pp.•Water View Rm. 12 nights•Wi-Fi•Daily Breakfast•Gratuities•RT Shuttle•Weekly Cocktail Reception•Limited Room Service

Air $540 pp.•Nonstop•John F Kennedy (JFK) Cyril E King Int’l (STT)

5 Days $55 pp.•Whiteboards, flip charts, pilots & podium•Technology (sound for 100 people, wireless microphone, 120'' screen, 3000 lum projector and cable for PC sound)


St. Thomas Island Drive St. John Safari Coral World Ocean Park

$49 per person $95 per person $19 per person

• Transportation• Shopping Ferry Ticket• Duration: 2.5 hours

• Transportation• Duration: 8 hoursMonday, Wednesday, and

Friday Only

• Transportation• Duration: 3 hours


Cost Comparison

PanamaConference

Costa RicaConference

St. ThomasConference

14 Nights – August 2013

Single $2270 pp.Double $2805 pp.Triple $2505 pp.

Passport Required

14 Nights – August 2013


Passport Required

12 Nights – July 2013


No Passport Required

Not included: travel insurance, meals and gratuities not listed, departure fee $28 per person from SJO, passport and

visa fees

Proposal

Once a location is selected, a full itinerary and cost detail will be

developed.

•

•PanamaRiu Panama

PlazaPanama City

Tours

•PanamaRiu Panama

PlazaPanama City

Tours •Costa RicaRamada


•Costa RicaRamada




Tours



Tours

Thank You

Jeanne Richardson

Blue Dynasty Entertainment and Travel

877-368-8003 ext. 3

P.O. Box 191911, Boston, MA 02119

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