Anglo-Somali Society Meeting, Wednesday 24 February 2010

5.30pm for 6pm at the YMCA Indian Student Hostel, 41 Fitzroy Square, London W1T 6AQ

The nearest underground stations are Great Portland Street, Warren Street, and Euston. The venue is the upstairs CONFERENCE ROOM, approached through a door to the left of ‘reception’. The supper menu is not published far in advance but is, typically, rice, sambar, choice of curry, perhaps fish or vegetable, with tea or coffee, at a flat rate of £5, paid in advance. Meat is halal. Tickets will be posted on receipt of a cheque or postal order.

5.30 - 6.00 p.m. Arrival in Conference Room

6.00 - 6.15 p.m. AGM Chaired by the President, DR.YUSUF OMAR ALI
Agenda 1. Chairman’s Report. 2. Treasurer’s Report. 3. Council elections.
Proposals of new Council members (with their prior agreement) and names of volunteers for all offices including those of Editor of the Journal and Membership Secretary should reach the Hon. Sec. Dr. Virginia Luling by 10 Feb. 2009. The names of all the present Council Members and Officers can be found inside the back cover of the Autumn 2008 Journal. All those named are eligible for re-election.
4. Any other business. 5. Date of next AGM: Wednesday 23 February 2011.

6.15 - 6.45pm Somalis and the Media. Adam Dirir, Editor of Somali Eye will talk and answer questions about this highly-regarded and upbeat magazine, which is ‘The Voice of the Somali Community in Britain’ and published in Bethnal Green four times a year. Adam has been a frequent guest at the Society’s Meetings.

6.45 – 6.50pm Dr. Martin Orwin, Senior Lecturer in Somali and Amharic at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London, will place Somali novels in an historical context, and introduce the next speaker:

6.50¬ - 7.25pm Black Mamba Boy Nadifa Mohamed will be in conversation with Dr. Orwin about her first novel, Black Mamba Boy, which is based on the extraordinary life of her father, Jama G Mohamed, who is also a longstanding member of the Society and who will be guest of honour at the meeting. On 16 January the Times described the novel as a ‘stunning debut’ and urged readers to ‘watch out for this one in the prize season’. Nadifa’s travels and project emerged from a conversation she had with her father about his friend Mahmoud Mattan who had been wrongly executed in Cardiff in 1952. There will be time for questions and discussion.