VZCZCXRO2744
PP RUEHAO RUEHCD RUEHGA RUEHGD RUEHGR RUEHHA RUEHHO RUEHMC RUEHMT
RUEHNG RUEHNL RUEHQU RUEHRD RUEHRG RUEHRS RUEHTM RUEHVC
DE RUEHBU #0303 0771315
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 181315Z MAR 09
FM AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3331
INFO RUEHWH/WESTERN HEMISPHERIC AFFAIRS DIPL POSTS

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 000303 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR WHA/PDA: JDICKSON; WHA/PDA: CPETERSON; IIP/SDIS: MJARRET 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL OEXC OIIP SCUL KPAO AR PGOV
SUBJECT:  Argentina: Mission's Black History Month Celebration 
Proves a Huge Success 
 
¶1.  SUMMARY.  Embassy Buenos Aires hosted over 150 Argentine and 
embassy guests in a day-long celebration of Black History Month on 
March 13, 2009.  The day included a traditional African-American 
lunch, a program including a live performance of a hit song 
("International Love") by a popular Afro-Argentine singer, and a DVC 
featuring University of Chicago anthropologist Sheila Walker on the 
quest for black citizenship in the Americas.  Press coverage was 
positive and substantial.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2.  "Two centuries after the birth of Abraham Lincoln, the 
inauguration of our President Barack Obama is a fundamental step 
towards the accomplishment of Dr. Martin Luther King's dream deeply 
rooted in the American dream...that all men are created equal." 
With these words, Ambassador Wayne opened post's celebration of 
Black History Month, with the participation of more than 150 guests, 
including African-Argentines, academic, political and civil society 
leaders, and embassy staff and family members.  The afternoon's 
events included a traditional African-American barbeque, cultural 
festivities, and an academic examination via DVC of the impact of 
the election of the first African American President of the United 
States. 
 
¶3.  After a traditional African-American lunch, Ambassador Wayne 
greeted the guests with remarks in English and Spanish about the 
important place the day's celebration had in American society and 
how Martin Luther King's dream of a more equal and just society was 
still very much alive.  Afterwards, the very popular 
African-Argentine singer Fidel Nadal, dressed in an oversized Obama 
t-shirt, sang (free-of-charge) his new award-winning song 
"International Love," as the more intrepid guests danced along with 
Nadal and the Ambassador. 
 
¶4.  Following the outdoor portion of the program, about 80 guests 
participated in a videoconference featuring renowned anthropologist 
Sheila S. Walker of the University of Chicago, who spoke on the 
topic "President Obama and African-American Participation in the 
Americas."  The very well-received DVC, which ran over two hours 
(and could have run longer), gave participants the opportunity to 
discuss issues common to the black communities in Argentina and the 
United States.  Walker's fluency in Spanish, her understanding of 
the Afro-Argentine community's history and current situation, and 
her honest, no-holds-barred views of the history and current state 
of affairs of race relations in the United States, won over her 
audience.  As one participant pointed out, this was a rare 
opportunity for African-Argentines to discuss issues that they all 
confront with a sympathetic and experienced interlocutor. 
 
¶5.  The Embassy's celebration of Black History Month was widely 
covered by Argentine national and provincial media. National leading 
newspaper "Clarin" (in its widely read "Show Business" supplement), 
conservative "La Prensa," business-financial "Ambito Financiero," 
national wire service agency "Telam," America TV's "Encuentro 
Global" program, Channel 7, "26noticias.com.ar" and "Radio 10," as 
well as provincial dailies like "La Maana de Neuquen," all carried 
stories and covered the event.  Several papers printed photos of 
Nadal and the Ambassador. 
 
WAYNE 
090317 BHM cable draft