Welcome To People and Places in West and Central Africa!

For many years, as many of you know, I've been studying the ideology, philosophy, and effects of economic globalization on vulnerable communities. During my travel through out western and central Africa, I've also confirmed that cultural diversity is still an important topic related to the globalization's ideology of development. Cultural diversity, taken in that context, may be the last ramparts against the negative effect of globalization on the most vulnerable. Alimenting the debate on cultural diversity and sharing elements of cultural competences with the world are wonderful and challenging issues that I am still pasionate about. For those who have been waiting for my findings on the effects of globalization on this region, these blogs are not the answer. Nonetheless, I assure you that I am still working on it.

This travel blogs, however, is an effort to share with my family, colleagues, friends, and brothers and sisters in the faith my extraordinary journey in West Africa and the wonders of a region which continues to stupefy and amaze many travelers. Over the past three years, I've fallen in love with many places, encountered many peoples, and was asthonished by many cultures, customs, and traditions. Learning about the West and Central African's people, their life and culture have been one of the most valuable contributions to my education on globalization and an important part of my life for the last three years. I invite you to discover through images and, may be, sounds (in the future) the amazing grace of this region.

Come join me for a ride into many places and cultures in West and Central Africa!

Louis Dorvilier is a well known economist and development practitioner. He has been involved in the social movement and issues related to economic, cultural, and worker's and women rights in Haiti and Latin America for more than a decade. He has extensive experience in management of development programs and policy and has served the Lutheran World Federation in various capacities for over 12 years. He has been the Executive Director of New City Parish, a coalition of ELCA urban congregations in Los Angeles, for almost 5 years. He is currently, the West Africa Regional representative of ELCA Global Mission in West Africa. Louis Dorvilier has studied in Haiti, USA, Belgium, Switzerland, Venezuela and Isreal. He can be reached at: lod215@yahoo.com or on skype at: Skype name: louis565.

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