News Releases

Haitian Women: Pillars of the Global Economy

For Release Upon Receipt - March 5, 2009

St. Augustine


In honour of International Women’s Day, the film “Poto Mitan: Haitian Women, Pillars of the Global Economy” will be presented at The University of the West Indies (UWI). The screening will take place on Sunday 8th March, 2009 at 4:00 p.m., at the Learning Resource Centre (LRC), UWI, St. Augustine Campus. “Poto Mitan” is meant to provide viewers with an understanding of women confronting socioeconomic issues. It shares the lives of five Haitian women, struggling to survive in a weakening economy.

“Poto Mitan” aims to inspire solidarity activism, in hopes to end injustice in the global economy. The film is approximately 50 minutes in length and is narrated by award-winning author Edwidge Danticat. It is co-produced and directed by documentarian Renée Bergan. Bergan has received numerous awards for her past documentaries and in 2003 received the Social Justice Award for Best documentary at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival. She also honoured with the New York International Independent Film and Video Award for her piece Sadaa E Zan (Voices of Women) in 2004.

Tickets for “Poto Mitan” can be purchased at a cost of $35 for members of the public and $10 for UWI students and children.

For further information, please call The Centre for Gender and Development Studies at 662- 2002 Ext. 3549/ 3573, or email cgds@sta.uwi.edu.

ABOUT UWI

Over the last six decades, The University of the West Indies (UWI) has evolved from a fledgling college in Jamaica with 33 students to a full-fledged University with over 40,000 students. Today, UWI is the largest and most longstanding higher education provider in the English-speaking Caribbean, with main campuses in Barbados, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago, and Centres in Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, The Bahamas, Belize, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, St Christopher (St Kitts) & Nevis, St Lucia, and St Vincent & the Grenadines. UWI recently launched its Open Campus, a virtual campus with over 50 physical site locations across the region, serving over 20 countries in the English-speaking Caribbean. UWI is an international university with faculty and students from over 40 countries and collaborative links with over 60 universities around the world. Through its seven Faculties, UWI offers undergraduate and postgraduate degree options in Engineering, Humanities & Education, Law, Medical Sciences, Pure & Applied Sciences, Science and Agriculture, and Social Sciences.

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