COUNCIL OF REPRESENTATIVES (CORE)
On January 26th 2008, Council of Representatives (CORE) will facilitate a Town Hall meeting at the Sierra Leone Embassy in Washington D.C. The purpose of this town hall meeting is to harness the collective effort of current and prospective representatives of CORE in developing the various objectives and initiatives the entity will undertake. Some of the items that will be addressed during the town hall meeting includes among others, the formal launching of CORE, the proposed Kroo Bay community development project, proposed community hall/center, the forthcoming joint organization Independence Day celebration, the annual Family Fun Day, and several other initiatives.
CORE is a framework for facilitating the successful implementation of the projects and objectives of its member entities in the Sierra Leone Diaspora. It is an abstract concept that can be instantiated within the contexts of any developing host community. CORE will seek to establish an independent governing structure (board and executive) democratically appointed or elected by all representatives.
The premier objective of CORE is to form an egalitarian committee, represented equally by each of the non-profit and alumni organizations in the United States in particular and the Sierra Leone Diaspora at large. Ultimately, representatives from the private sector will also be included. Other objectives includes enabling individual organizations to collaborate, thereby leveraging our collective, economic and social capital, without losing or compromising organizational autonomy; and to lobby the relevant statutory authorities and official development agencies to assist in the resolution of issues affecting CORE socio-economic objectives.
This Town Hall meeting at the Sierra Leone Embassy is expected to bring together several representatives of various Sierra Leonean organizations across the United States. With the official support of the Sierra Leone Embassy in the US and from the collective effort of all of the representatives attending the meeting, we are expecting to arrive at a consensus for the establishment of a formal structure, mission statement and preliminary projects & activities for the proposed Council of Representatives.
To date, CORE representatives have approached several organizations in the Sierra Leone Diaspora. Among these Sierra Leonean Diaspora entities, majority has pledged support for granting effective and functional representation in CORE.
Sierra Leone organizations in the Diaspora that have already signed up to CORE include:
· Sierra Leone Embassy
· Sierra Leone Network
· Sierra Leone Gullah Heritage Association
· Gbinti Association
· Convent Old Girls Association
· SELCOSA
· Young Leaders - Sierra Leone
· Youth for Sierra Leone Improvement
· Help African Libraries Inc.
Sierra Leonean organizations that have been approached include:
· African West Group
· Albert Academy Alumni
· Annie Walsh Memorial School Alumni Association
· Children of Sierra Leoneans Overseas
· Fourah Bay College Alumni Association -USA
· Fullah Progressive Union
· Global Network for Disabled Youth
· Northern Mandingo Association
· Harford Old Girls Alumni
· Lunsar Marampa Development Association
· Miss Sierra Leone DC
· National Organization of Sierra Leoneans in North America
· Old Edwardians Association in Atlanta
· Prince of Wales Alumni
· Salone Discussion Forum.
· Sierra Leone Community Association in Georgia
· Sierra Leone Diaspora Network
· Sierra Leone Fund
· Sierra Leone Grammar School Alumni Association of North America
· Sierra Leone Gullah Heritage Association
· Sierra Leone Music Television
· Sierra Leone National Football Association
· St. Joseph Convent Alumni Association
· TEGLOMA
· Tomorrow’s World Leaders
The mission of the Sierra Leone Network is to integrate, complement, foster collaboration, and facilitate coordination among Sierra Leonean charity, and welfare organizations and businesses with the clear aim of promoting economic empowerment and development in Sierra Leone.
To learn more about Sierra Leone Network, please visit www.sierraleonenetwork.org
If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact the CORE Project Planning Committee:
Cecil John cj@virtualdeveloper.com
Amadu Massally Amadu.Massally@gmail.com
Amara Kuyateh kuyateho@gmail.com
Mustapha Sesay msesay1@yahoo.com
Jesmed Suma sumatuinc@yahoo.com
Mohamed Bah anlbah@aol.com
Akindele Decker akindeledecker@gmail.com
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