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Since its incorporation in 1968, the Panamerican-Panafrican Association, Inc. (the Pa/Pa) and its Chairman, Dr. Robert Starling Pritchard have been active in several major United Nations cultural, educational and economic exchange programmes which the Foundation sponsored and supported in collaboration with the OAU Mission to the UN; the PLO Mission to the UN and other African and Latin American Statal-Missions to the UN through the leadership tenures of several UN Secretaries General (i.e., Dag Hammarskjold; U Thant; Kurt Waldheim; Javier Perez de Cuellar, Boutros Boutros Galli and Kofi Annan). The Pa/Pa is the descendant organization of the Panamerican Association, which Dr. Pritchard co-founded in 1965 with the Musicologist and Archeologist, Dr. Francisco Curt Lange (an Executive Advisor to the Uruguayan Ministry of Foreign Affairs who discovered the musical compositions of the Baroque and Pre-Classical Brazilian Era Composers of African descent). |
| The Pa/Pa has created “Hands Across the Seas and Lands” relationships via such events as the 1970s “Kenneth David Kaunda Awards for Humanism” in the UN`s Dag Hammarskjold Library Auditorium; the Concert Gala performance of the Baroque and Pre-Classical Brazilian Composers of African descent which took place on 28 May 1976 on the stage of the UN General Assembly on the occasion of the 13th anniversary of the OAU and the Bicentennial of the USA; the presentation of a paper entitled “International Cultural Embargo against Apartheid South Africa” at the 1978 Anti-Apartheid UN NGO Conference in Geneva, Switzerland (which paper became the basis for the Conference`s agreement on what became the actual text of the aforereferenced Cultural Embargo); and many other events in which the Pa/Pa either took a participatory or organizational role in promoting the goals of the Pa/Pa as well as those of the United Nations. |
| Since the late 1990`s, the Pa/Pa has significantly expanded through its Permanent Programme Unit`s organizational viaduct for its Economic Development and International Trade activities (the Pa/Pa`s International Trade Consultants Group [the Pa/Pa`s ITCG]) by the establishment of such Pa/Pa ITCG Affiliate organizations as Pa/Pa ITCG Japan, the Pa/Pa`s ITCG-Haiti, the Pa/Pa`s ITCG-Canada, the Pa/Pa`s ITCG-Indonesia, the Pa/Pa`s ITCG-Ghana, the Pa/Pa`s ITCG-Nigeria, the Pa/Pa`s ITCG-South Africa, the Pa/Pa`s ITCG China; the Pa/Pa`s ITCG Togo; the Pa/Pa`s ITCG CAR |
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| November 1999 - The contributions of the Panamerican-Panafrican Association and its Chairman, Dr. Robert Starling Pritchard, were pivotal in the pursuit and receipt of permanent residency status for Liberian ex-patriots in collaboration with the Union of Liberian Associations in the Americas. It was after two years of efforts by the Liberian organization to secure such status, that the efforts of the Pa/Pa successfully led to President Clinton`s signing of an executive order granting permanent residency to 15,000 Liberians who otherwise were facing immediate deportation. |
| January 2000 - Present - In its efforts to internationalize the Panamerican-Panafrican Association`s Chairman`s concepts of “mutuality of benefit” as it relates to international trade, cultural and educational exchange, Dr. Pritchard has been collaborating with Mr. Kazuo Yano, a prominent Japanese film producer and businessman. The relationship which developed between Mr. Yano and the Pa/Pa led to the establishment in January 2001 of the Pa/Pa Japan (the Panamerican-Panafrican Association`s Japan Office). The Pa/Pa Japan is committed to the development of mutually beneficial relationships between developed countries (particularly Japan) and developing nations, particularly in Africa and Latin America. |
| As the Pa/Pa`s United Nations NGO Representatives, the members of Pa/Pa Japan actively promote the United Nations goals of developing understanding between peoples of different nations, cultures and religions. In that same spirit, in 2003, the Pa/Pa`s Artist-in-Residence, Kevin John Powell presented the Pa/Pa Japan an Iris Giclee Print of his art work that was selected in 1997 for publication by WFUNA in the first day issue cover of the Endangered Species stamp series issued by the United Nations. |
| A summary of the activities of the Pa/Pa Japan include: |
| 1. Economic Development assistance to the Central African Republic (CAR) |
| 2. Training Programme for CAR representative to establish relationships with the Japanese Cabinet and government; to study a gold powder business model and pursue technical research on the mineral resources in the CAR; to access Japanese expertise to develop tourism in the CAR; to conduct technical studies on railway construction in the CAR. |
| 3. Aimed at fulfilling the mandates of “Respect of Man and Nature” advocated by the United Nations Environment Plan, Pa/Pa Japan is developing a retirement housing project at the Kamporo Hotel (an international guest house in the mountainous region of Japan) to promote healthy living for the elderly amidst the Japanese majestic mountains, hot springs and clean air. |
| 4. The Pa/Pa Japan International Cultural Exchange programme included the 20 September 2002 Kimono Show at the Caen International Exhibition in Caen, France. Future Kimono fashion show events will include several venues in New York City in 2004. |
| April 2000 - Mr. Jagiit Singh Hans, the internationally known wrestling champion (also known as Tiger Jeet Singh) is appointed as the Pa/Pa`s NGO Representative to the UN ECOSOC. During his visit to the United Nations in New York to retrieve his UN Pass, Mr. Hans committed himself to contribute a significant percentage of his athletic event gate proceeds to United Nations NGO humanitarian projects and programmes in the developing world. |
| May 2000- Schematic developed for International trade Conference for Agribusiness in Indonesia. The project was conceived and developed in association with affiliate Pa/Pa-Indonesia (NITIGE Indonesia, i.e., “New International Trade Imperatives for a Global Economy), and the National Development Planning Agency (BAPPENAS). The Conference (which was temporarily postponed due to internal political instability in Indonesia) is intended to promote Indonesia`s natural resources as well its large/medium and small agri-businesses as it joins the global economy. |
| December 2000 - In response to the devastating floods in November 2000 in Indonesia, the Pa/Pa`s Affiliates in Japan contributed $10,000 towards flood relief. They also petitioned the government of Japan to send goods to help relieve the suffering of the approximately 75,000 people in western Sumatra who were affected by the floods. |
| June 2001 - In the same spirit in which the UN Committee to Combat desertification is working to improve the plight of millions throughout the world who suffer from hunger and malnutrition through land conservation, the Pa/Pa collaborated with ZENIT International (Zero Emission No Impact Technology) to develop technologies to improve crop production as well as promote ecologically sound industries. |
| August 2001 - Pa/Pa Representatives, Henri and Lisa Polgar, joined members of the Onondaga Indian Nation during the International Day of the World`s Indigenous Peoples at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. The Onondaga Nation Members were continuing their campaign to condemn the 1998 New York State brutal police attack committed against the Onondaga Nation during a religious ceremony. Calls were made to launch an investigation of the unsolved murder of Ronald Jones, a strong and outspoken critic of the Onondaga Nation illegal leadership. |
| 2 January 2002 - The Pa/Pa joined many NGO organizations in condemning the Nigerian Government`s intentions to impose a death sentence on a young unwed mother who had given birth to a child. The Pa/Pa implored the Nigerian government to reverse the imposition of the Hamurabi law upon the young woman. |
| February 2002 - The Minister of State of the Republic of Benin drafted an International Black History Month “Cultural Affinity Proclamation” which was issued in conjunction with other Black History Month Observance Proclamations issued in February 2002 by nations throughout Le Monde Noir as well as by the US and Canada during the “Black History Month Observance.” The Proclamation emphasized the necessity for the peoples of African origin to play a more important role in commerce, technology, economic development, cultural and educational exchange as a prelude to a greater responsibility and participation in the new international economic order. |
| February 2002 - As part of its annual issuance of draft proclamation presented to the 50 US Governors and 100 big city Mayors, the Pa/Pa also recognized the contributions of Civil Rights Leader Sonny Scroggins of Topeka, Kansas |
| for his efforts to create a Kansas State and national foci on “African-American Historical Facts”, more particularly, the contributions of botanist and chemist Dr. George Washington Carver. |
| June 2002 - A mission statement for the Center for Response to Environmental Collapse was issued by a Pa/Pa Affiliate, to assemble and support a group of scholars and others, enabling them to envisage the likely consequences of a swift, severe ecological collapse. In particular, the center will consider and analyze what we should be doing now to assist our descendents in dealing with such an event. |
| September 2002- The Pa/Pa made a grant available to defray partial expenses for an African American middle school student to attend the Hillside School in Marlborough, Mass. |
| This 12 year old who was a “troubled” youngster (having been abandoned by his parents), demonstrated the value of “equal access to quality of educational opportunity”. By virtue of his exposure to one of the finest private schools in the USA, this young student excelled, despite his troubled past. |
June 2003 - The Pa/Pa`s Main NGO Representative to the UN ECOSOC in Geneva, Switzerland, Dr. Walter Menicocci was invited by the “University of Connecticut at Storrs” (on occasion of the series of conferences organized by the “Natural Philosophy Alliance”), to present a detailed report on several decades of scientific research conducted by a roster of distinguished scientists on “THE ABILITY OF THE ENVIRONMENT TO RESIST MAN`S BEHAVIOR.” The studies are intended to advance the goals of the United Nations Committee on Science and Technology of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification by developing clean and renewable energy sources. These studies draw attention to the fact that traditional energy sources are not infinite and their use and/or misuse may seriously damage the environment. |
Through the realization of several projects, Dr. Menicocci and his colleagues` goal is not only to improve the environmental balance but, in terms of human life, to promote biological and sustainable agricultural practices, even in those countries where climate and drought conditions may appear prohibitive for any kind of farming activity. These projects can assure not only the survival of all organisms, but to give local populations a better quality of life. |
| October 2003 - The Pa/Pa undertook to research the illegal deportation of immigrants of Arab descent from the USA after the tragedy of September 11, 2002. The Pa/Pa fought the deportation of a Syrian immigrant from the USA, whom it assisted in coming to the USA. Totally depriving her of any rights, Ms. Fawzieh Hassan was one of many who were victimized by the sweep of deportations solely because they were of Arab descent. |
| November 2003 - The Pa/Pa is making a grant available to assist a graduate student from Syria who is studying international law at Kiel University in Germany. |
| June 2002 - Present - The Pa/Pa, in its capacity as the conduit for pledges from the BIFC (i.e. the Bedford International Financial Corporation), has been and will be directing contributions towards the African Famine Relief and AIDS Reduction and Prevention Programmes; the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Public Sculpture; the African American History Museum (to be built on the Federal Mall in Washington, DC) the Morris Brown College in Atlanta, Georgia; a homeless shelter for the poor in Washington, D.C.; a study grant to the Pa/Pa`s Writer-in-Residence, Earl Williams (aka Umar Abdul Abdullah Ali); grant to Syracuse based Playwright-Actress-Community-Theatre-Producer (i.e., Ms. Lynn Pannell), et. al. |
| Submitted by: |
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| Dr. Robert Starling Pritchard II |
| Pa/Pa ITCG: President and CEO |
| Foundation: Chairman / Board of Directors |
| Main NGO Delegate to the UN / Economic and Social Council |
| (headquartered in NYC, NY; Santiago, Chile; Geneva, Switzerland; Vienna, Austria |
| Beirut, Lebanon; Bangkok, Thailand and Addis Ababa, Ethiopia). |
| Patron: the Pa/Pa ITCG-Japan; South Korea; Malaysia; Indonesia; Benin; Togo; |
| Italy (Europe); Nigeria; Ghana; Liberia; Haiti; St. Kitts Island |
| The Robert Starling Pritchard Food for Humanity Foundation-Italy |
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| Bedford International Financial Corporation: Chairman/Board of Directors |
| Bonaventura Mercantil SA: Executive President |
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| The NRCC's-Business Advisory Council: Honorary Chairman (NYS) |
| The NRCC's-Congressional Business Commission:, Advisor |
| Presidential Business Commission: Member |
| Year 2003 Businessman of the Year Award |
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