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HIGHLIGHT: "Contemporary Faces of Islam in West Africa"
Visages actuels de l'Islam en Afrique de l'Ouest
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A workshop sponsored by
the West African Research Association (WARA)
29 October - 4 November 2006
at the West African Research Center (WARC), Dakar, Senegal
Organizers:
Professor Ousmane Sene, WARC director
Professors Penda Mbow and Leonardo A. Villalón, workshop conveners
| An international workshop on "The Contemporary
Faces of Islam in West Africa" was held at the West african Research
center (Warc), Dakar, from October 29 to November 4, 2006.The workshop was
hosted by the West African Research Association (Wara) with funding from
the Council of American Overseas Research Centers (Caorc) and the US Embassy
in Dakar, Senegal and organised by Professor Ousmane Sene, Director of Warc,
Professor Penda Mbow, Department of History, University Cheikh Anta Diop and Professor Leonardo Alfonso Villalon, Director of the Center for African Studies, University of Florida, Gainesville. |
 The workshop organizers receiving the Rector of UCAD (left) |
 M Claud Young, Pr Abdou Salam Sall (Rector of Ucad), Pr Séne, Pr Penda Mbow (L-R) |
After the welcome dinner offered by the West
African Research Center on Sunday 29, the proceedings of the workshop kicked
of on Monday October 30 at Warc with the attendance of all participants.
The opening session was chaired by Professor Abdou Salam Sall, Rector of
University Cheikh Anta Diop (Ucad) and also attended by MM. Claud Young
and Chad Cummins, respectively Public Affairs Officer and Cultural Affairs
Officer at the U.S embassy in Dakar. Welcome addresses and speeches were
delivered by the Director of Warc, Professors Penda Mbow and Leo Villalon,
Claud Young and the Rector of Ucad. The U.S embassy PAO and the Rector stressed their positive appreciation of the holding of such a workshop and pledged their commitment and readiness to keep working with the West African Research Center for the advancement of learning and research and mutual understanding among nations in West Africa and the rest of the world. |
 The round table attended by over one hundred (100) people |
The opening ceremony was covered by the local media including the Senegalese national television. The proceedings of the workshop smoothly unfolded at Warc, Dakar, until Wednesday, November 1 when participants wrapped up activities in Dakar with a round table attended by over one hundred (100) people including major religious figures of Islam and the catholic church, to participants scholars, academics and students of various nationalities (specially American students). Wednesday evening, a dinner was offered at her residence by Mrs Janice Jacobs, the U.S ambassador in Senegal. |
 Her Excellency Mrs Janice Jacobs offered a dinner |
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On Thursday, participants and the director of the West African Research Center travelled to the Holy City of Touba, seat of Mouridism. They engaged a lively exchanges on the workshop theme with members of the dynamic mourid youth movement, Izbut Tarqiyya, who treated them to a lavish lunch
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 Participants meeting the Rector of University Gaston Berger of Saint Louis (Left) The group left the same day for Saint Louis where, on Friday, November 3, they had meetings with the Rector of University Gaston Berger (Ugb) of Saint Louis and colleagues, the Governor of the Region of Saint Louis and visited old mosques under the guidance of a faculty from Ugb |
 Participants received by the second in command of the Tijan brotherhood, Serigne Abdoul Aziz Sy Junior (with envelope) |
. The visit in Saint Louis ended Saturday November 4 when participants left on their way to another Holy City, Tivaouane, the seat of the Senegalese Tijanyah. They were received by the second in command of the Tijan brotherhood, Serigne Abdoul Aziz Sy Junior who spent a long time with participants in his house and blessed them with prayers and a substantial donation for participants' lunch. |
| Although it is to be regretted that the participant from Mauritania left Monday October 30 to attend other professional commitments in his country, the faces of Islam in that country were satisfactorily presented by another Mauritanian faculty at University Cheikh Anta Diop and participants voiced their satisfaction for the quality of the proceedings and the overall organization of the workshop. The workshop ended Saturday Nov 4 when participants returned to Dakar and started their trips back home.And a token of their appreciation of the overall organization of the workshop participants made a substantial financial donation for the Center and its staff. Indeed, the dedication of the Warc staff should be stressed here as they, among other signs of their good will, unanimously offered to report to work Wednesday Nov1, a public holyday.The workshop was reported to be a success in every respect and definitely contributed to putting Warc on the map of major research centers in the world. The proceedings of the workshop will be published in the shape of a report to be soon drafted and completed by Professors Villalon, Penda Mbow and Ousmane Sene. |
 Workshop participants made a substantial financial donation for the Center and its staff. |
Already, participants, specially from the United states, stressed that their
teachings on Islam would be positively influenced and refined by the workshop
and the idea of the creation in Dakar of a Center for Religious Studies (Islam,
other major religions in the world and traditional African religions) was discussed.
Professor Penda Mbow and Ousmane Sene agreed to discuss the idea with the Rector
of University Cheikh Anta Diop to see how the Senegalese university could cooperate
with the West African Research center (Warc) towards the actualisation of such
a project.
Ousmane Sene
Director, West African Research Center (Warc)
