Six years after Haiti’s catastrophic earthquake left tens of thousands dead, Planet Kreyol is inviting the UM community to the Shalala Student Center at 4 p.m. Tuesday, January 12, to remember the victims of the disaster that unleashed the University’s unprecedented emergency response and strengthened the U’s commitment to the hemisphere’s poorest nation. Read more about that enduring bond in the Haiti Special Report.

UM News

CORAL GABLES, Fla. (March 23, 2015) – Haitian flags lined the walkway leading to the University of Miami’s Ashe Administration Building. Students, faculty, and staff sampled Haitian delicacies and looked at beautiful and amazingly detailed Haitian art displayed on tables at UM’s Rock plaza. And Haitian music filled the air, providing an ideal opportunity to learn some of the traditional dance moves of that island nation.

UM celebrated Haitian Culture Week on the Coral Gables campus March 23-27, kicking off five days of activities with an opening day ceremony of all things Haiti. “The week represented an excellent opportunity for the UM community to learn more about one of the most prominent cultures in Miami,” said Guerdiana Thelomar, president of the Haitian student organization Planet Kreyol, which organized the week of activities. “Oftentimes, Haiti is seen in a negative light, so we hope that through programs such as Haitian Culture Week we can show the beautiful, mystical, and vibrant side that people don’t often get a chance to experience when learning about Haiti.”

Other events included a panel discussion on the role Haitian Americans play in keeping the Haitian culture alive in the United States, the Miss Planet Kreyol Cultural Pageant, a Haitian-style carnival, and a day of service in Little Haiti. View the slideshow of the kickoff event.

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