CACSEN (Communauté Africaine de Culture/Section Sénégal) is an association dating back to the time of the first president of Senegal, Léopold L. Senghor, and aiming at promoting cultural resilience, vibrancy and expression in african countries. After so many years, even decades, the organisation is still active as it has been the initiator of several landmark activities including the celebration of the 50 years after the First World Festival of Negro Arts, annual panels dedicated to the celebrated filmmaker Ousmane Sembene, among other things. Over the years, a strong and very productive partnership has developed and grown between CACSEN and the West African Research Center (WARC).
The launch of the book on Professor Assane Seck at WARC on Saturday July 27th was another illustration of the team spirit between the two organisations.
Assane Seck was a professor in the Department of Geography, University Cheikh Anta Diop (UCAD) but was mostly known as a great political leader in Senegal and particularly in his native southern region of Casamance. He was one of the most prominent political leaders of independent Senegal and was a government minister in the various cabinets of Léopold Senghor and Abdou Diouf from 1966 to 1983. He also contributed to brokering peace in Casamance and led the National Concertation on Senegalese Higher Education in 1993. He chaired the senegalese branch of CACSEN from 2007 to 2012.
Professor Assane Seck was also hailed as a prolific and bright intellect as a don in the Department of Geography at UCAD. The ceremony was attended by 79 who all positively appreciated the tribute paid to one of great leaders and thinkers in contemporary Senegal.