**** AFRICAN NOVA SCOTIAN AFFAIRS/LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR Media Release
African Heritage Month Highlights Faith, Family and Community
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Celebrations began today, Jan. 22, for African Heritage Month with a provincial launch and poster unveiling at Province House with Lt.-Gov. Arthur J. LeBlanc and Minister of African Nova Scotian Affairs Tony Ince.
The 2020 theme, The Ties that Bind: Faith, Family and Community, recognizes the essential traits that sustain the strength, resiliency and togetherness of the African Nova Scotian community.
“This year’s theme reinforces the point that African Nova Scotian history, heritage and culture are important to all citizens, said Lt.-Gov. Arthur J. LeBlanc. “We are all one collective Nova Scotian family bound to each other by our interconnected communities.”
“February is another opportunity to honour the achievements of people of African descent,” said Mr. Ince. “Without the leadership, determination and dignity of African Nova Scotians, our province would not be as successful as it is today.”
Various public events will take place across the province.
Quotes:
“For this year’s poster, we wanted to acknowledge the essential ties of faith, family and community that have helped African Nova Scotians to overcome the barriers they have faced and still continue to face today. These ties are not easily broken.”
– Russell Grosse, executive director of the Black Cultural Centre and organizational lead of the African Heritage Month Information Network
Quick Facts:
— the province has proclaimed February as African Heritage Month
— there are over 50 African Nova Scotian communities in Nova Scotia
— the African Heritage Month Information Network is made up of over 10 African Nova Scotian organizations
— the African Heritage Month Information Network selects the African Heritage Month theme, produces the poster and facilities municipal proclamations across the province
— 2.4 per cent of Nova Scotians identify as African Nova Scotian
— 71.8 per cent of African Nova Scotians have roots in the province going back three generations or more
Additional Resources:
Calendar of African Heritage Month events: https://ansa.novascotia.ca/calendar/month/2020-02
To order African Heritage Month posters: http://www.ahm.bccnsweb.com/wp/home
Count Us In: Nova Scotia’s Action Plan in Response to the International Decade for People of African Descent, 2015-2024: https://ansa.novascotia.ca/sites/default/files/dpad-action-plan.pdf
Nova Scotia Culture Action Plan: https://novascotia.ca/culture/Culture-Action-Plan–English.pdf
International Decade for People of African Descent: https://www.un.org/en/events/africandescentdecade/recognition.shtml