In addition to the launch ceremony, Mme Jean participated in one of four virtual seminars that were held with professors and student s from the Université d’État de Haiti. Students in Haiti were able to watch a podcast of the Institute’s plenary sessions from the previous day, followed by a live video conference which was also streamed live by internet.

As a special guest at the video seminar on August 23, Mme Jean was able to interact with a live audience in Haiti, a country from which she had fled the brutal Duvalier regime and for which she is now the UNESCO Special Envoy.

In addition to a series of plenary speakers, other highlights included graduate and post-graduate presentations, teacher workshops, practical workshops, a research video series, a movie night and a night of Caribbean food, music and dance.

The Summer Institute was honoured by the presence of the executive members of the International Scientific Committee of the UNESCO Slave Route Project and David Walden, Secretary General of the Canadian National Commission for UNESCO.

The closing luncheon was addressed by the Honourable Jean Augustine, followed by the presentation of certificates of participation by Professor Paul Lovejoy. A special thanks is owed to Peitra Arana, the Summer Institute Coordinator.

More information:

• About the Institut d’Été/Summer institute 2011, 
• About the launch of the UNESCO Slave Route Project Itineraries of African Canadian Memory, 
• View a photographic memory of the Institut d’Été/Summer institute 2011 (Picasa),
• Podcasts of the plenary sessions in their language of presentation will be posted as soon as they become available on the Harriet Tubman Institute website