Garifuna Coalition

The Garifuna Coalition Meets with SVG Consul General and COSAGO
1 of 2 8/31/09 3:32 AM
Subject: The Garifuna Coalition Meets with SVG Consul General and COSAGO
From: José Francisco Ávila
Date: Sun, 30 Aug 2009 18:36:11 -0700 (PDT)
To: Jose Avila
The Garifuna Coalition Meets with St Vincent
and the Grenadines Consul General and SVG
Organizations

As one people in many lands, we shape our nation
with many hands

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 30th, 2009

Contacts: José Francisco Ávila (917) 783-5298
info@garifunacoalition.org http://www.garifunacoalition.org/news

New York – The Garifuna Coalition USA , Inc. a, nonpartisan, 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit is
happy to announce that members of the its Board of Directors recently met with the Honorable Cosmus
Cozier, Consul General of St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG), as well as representatives of the
Council of St Vincent and the Grenadines Organizations USA Inc. (COSAGO).

The purpose of the meeting was for the Garifuna Coalition USA, Inc’s members to
meet the various Vincentian organizations that operate in New York, as part of its
efforts to reestablish the link with St. Vincent and the Grenadines "Yurumein" the
Ancestral Homeland of the Garifuna people and Consul General Cozier’s continued
effort to integrate the Garifunas to the St. Vincent and the Grenadines USA
Diaspora.

As part of this effort, members of the Garifuna Coalition were also invited to
participate in the Regional Vincy Homecoming 2009 Diaspora Conference held in
Brooklyn, NY last May, which was spearheaded by the Regional Integration and
Diaspora Unit/Office of the Prime Minister (RIDU); where the St Vincent and the
Grenadines USA Diaspora Framework for Action was presented. The Framework
for Action provides recommendations for action on behalf of and between SVG and
its people who live in the Diaspora. It contains proposals that give concrete
meaning to the theme of Vincy Homecoming 2009: “As one people in many
lands, we shape our nation with many hands.” The National Homecoming
Conference is scheduled for October 21 – 23 in St. Vincent and the Grenadines
and the Garifuna Coalition plans to send a representative.

The Garifuna Coalition is committed to the Framework for Action and plans to
The Garifuna Coalition Meets with SVG Consul General and COSAGO
2 of 2 8/31/09 3:32 AM
implement the Memorandum of Understanding it signed with The Garifuna
Heritage Foundation of St Vincent and the Grenadines, to promote the Garifuna
Heritage and Culture in all parts of the Garifuna Diaspora as well as support the
Renaissance of the Garifuna Heritage and Culture in St. Vincent and the
Grenadines "Yurumein" the Ancestral Homeland of the Garifuna people.

We appreciate Consul General Cozier’s efforts and look forward to working with
the Council of St Vincent and the Grenadines Organizations USA Inc. (COSAGO).”
said Marcia Gomez, Vice-President of the Garifuna Coalition USA, Inc.
###

About the Garifuna Coalition USA, Inc.
The Garifuna Coalition USA, Inc. is a nonpartisan, 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organization
which serves as an advocate for the Garifuna community. It was founded on May 9th, 1998 and
was incorporated as a Domestic not for Profit Corporation on May 28, 1999 and is registered
with the New York State Attorney General Charities Bureau.
Garifuna Coalition USA, Inc.
Garifuna Pride - Our Voice - Our Vision
www.garifunacoalition.org
http://www.myspace.com/garifunacoalition

SVGConsul-PressReleases.pdf Content-Type: application/pdf
Content-Encoding:base64