Haïti Sets the 2024 Olympics On Fire with Dazzling Outfits

A successful eighth outing for the Wednesday of the Monferrier Dorval chair

On Wednesday, October 24, 2024, in the premises of the Office of Citizen Protection, on the road to Bourdon, the 8th Wednesday outing of the Monferrier Dorval chair took place. As a reminder, the Wednesdays of the chair are one of the initiatives taken within the framework of the Monferrier Dorval chair of constitutional law, established on March 12 by the Council of the State University of Haïti (UEH). The rector, Mr. Fritz Deshommes, is the technical director. Professor Henri Marge Dorléans, former Minister of Justice, is the scientific director, and the dean of the Faculty of Law and Economics, Me Eugène Pierre Louis, holds the position of both technical and scientific vice-president. It should also be noted that the two main objectives of the chair are, on the one hand, to promote the memory of Professor Dorval, then President of the Bar Association, who was cowardly assassinated in front of his house, near that of the presidential couple at the time, on August 20, 2020. On the other hand, it is about promoting the work he had undertaken in the country, as a professor of constitutional law, around the need to make a constitutional change to facilitate effective governance and better institutional management of Haiti.

The Monferrier Dorval Chair of Constitutional Law, a gesture from the State University of Haiti, for the preservation of the memory of Professor Dorval

The Monferrier Dorval Chair of Constitutional Law is a high-intellectual-intensity initiative, taken by the State University of Haïti (UEH), through the leadership of its rectorate, in agreement with the leaders of the Faculty of Law and Economics (FDSE). The initiative’s primary goal is to honor and perpetuate the memory of the valiant and brilliant Professor Monferrier Dorval, assassinated in unclear circumstances, about three years ago. And in order to make a scientific contribution to the great debate that has been going on in Haitian society for about ten years about the need to change or not, the constitution of March 29, 1987, amended on May 11, 2011. Shouldn’t we try to apply it preferably? If it needs to be changed, should this change be radical, otherwise what should it have in terms of change within a new mother law for a better institutional organization of Haiti. The chair is scientifically chaired by Professor Henri Marge. Dorléans, (current head of AFPEC), and is vice-chaired by the dean of the faculty of law and economics, Me Eugène Pierre Louis. The Chair is materialized by a set of conferences and debates (15 in total), which take place in the premises of the Office of the Protection of the Citizen OPC, under the name of Wednesday of the Monferrier Dorval Chair. It is in this sense that for the fifth edition of the Wednesday of the chair (which took place this Wednesday, October 9, 2024 at the OPC, in the presence of the protector of the citizen, Me Renan Hédouville), attention was placed on education within the debate surrounding the possible development of a new constitution for Haiti. This 5th meeting took place under the theme of: "Education, Teaching, Research, Science and Technologies". The conference was hosted by three greats of the Haitian intellectual community, including two eminent professors of the UEH, namely, Professor Odonel Pierre Louis, academic director of the École normale supérieure (ENS); the vice rector of the UEH, Professor Jacques Blaise. Their interventions were followed by that of the director of the national institute of vocational training (INFP) Mr. Dikel Delvariste.

Gold Medal for Ava Soon Lee, a Resounding Kihap in Mexico

Ava Lee once again proved her mastery of taekwondo by winning a gold medal at the U21 Pan American Championship, held at the Arteaga Gymnasium in Querétaro, Mexico, on Saturday, July 27, 2024. This resounding triumph, marked by a powerful "kihap", symbolizes the strength and determination of the young Haitian athlete on the international stage.

Discover Festivals in Haiti

Haiti, a multifaceted island, is renowned for its picturesque landscapes, rich culture and vibrant festivals. Haitian festivals are much more than just celebrations; they represent the very soul of the nation, embodying its history, its traditions and its community spirit. Let’s dive into this journey, through some of Haiti’s most iconic festivals.

Haïti and its incredible Genius: A Contest to Promote Haitian Youth and Heritage

Haïti and its incredible Genius is an exceptional initiative launched by the Institute for the Valorization of Haitian Heritage (IVAP-Haiti). This contest’s mission is to highlight the multiple facets of Haïti by presenting an authentic and positive image of the country, while promoting the skills of young Haitians through the culture of reading and research.

Guédés: When Haïti celebrates its ancestors with color and fervor

Every November 1st and 2nd, Haïti comes alive with the colors black and purple to celebrate the Guédés, spirits venerated in the voodoo religion, symbols of a powerful bond between the living and the dead. Fascinating, indomitable and provocative, the Guédés form a true family in the pantheon of Haitian voodoo, where they are respected for their role as spiritual guides of the deceased to the afterlife. Led by iconic figures such as the legendary Baron Samedi and his companion Grann Brigitte, the Guédés embody the paradoxes of life and death. Each Baron has a unique personality: Baron Cimetière, Baron Kriminel, and Baron La Croix are the guardians of the souls that wander on the borders of the world of the dead. Together, they form a powerful and somewhat frightening presence, but one that is deeply rooted in Haitian culture. The Guédés are not like other voodoo spirits; they demonstrate their fearlessness in a spectacular way. Accustomed to death, they are fearless and are provocative: they eat glass, raw peppers, and coat their sensitive parts with rum and pepper. These gestures mark their indifference to danger and remind us that they have already known earthly life. They are thus psychopomps – these beings who lead the souls of the dead – and act as bridges between the world of the living and that of the dead. Some Guédés, like Guédé Nibo, wear black, purple, and white clothing, each with unique characteristics. They are many and varied: Guédé Fouillé, Guédé Loraj, Papa Guédé, and many others. These are the spirits who, each year, remind Haitians of the importance of remembering and honoring the deceased. The cult of the Guédés is not only religious; it is also cultural and historical. According to tradition, their spiritual territory, or “Fètomè” – nicknamed the “Country without Hats” – is a place where the souls of ancestors reside. According to stories, the origins of this cult go back to the Abomey plateau, the ancient capital of the kingdom of Dahomey, in Africa, where death and life coexist in a form of symbiosis. This celebration in Haïti even finds echoes in ancient history. The Romans also honored their dead with the “Fête des Lémuria”, which took place in February, to ward off spirits and restore peace between the world of the living and that of the deceased. For Haitians, honoring the Guédés is about accepting death as a part of life and celebrating the invisible bonds that unite us with those who have left us. It is also a way of resisting, because life, despite its challenges, must be celebrated in all its complexity and depth.