HISTORY OF THE ITIYAyiti POLITICAL PARTY

HISTORY OF THE ITIYAyiti POLITICAL PARTY

HISTORY OF THE ITIYAyiti POLITICAL PARTY

The founders of ITIYAyiti initially gathered through ITIAHaiti, an organization dedicated to literature, social education, and cultural development. Within this group, they adopted the slogan "KÒTAKÒT" to foster a sense of unity among members.

ITIAHaiti operates independently, free from any governmental, religious, or commercial ties. It collaborates with various socio-community and governmental organizations that share its commitment to empowering young people while maintaining autonomy. The organization supports all legal initiatives aimed at enhancing the capacity of its members and promoting their involvement in both national and international funding bodies.

Founded on July 12, 2008, in Aux Cayes, southern Haiti, ITIAHaiti stands for "Innovation du Terroir par les Itiahistes pour l'Avancement d'Haïti" (Innovation of the Terroir by the Itiahists for the Advancement of Haiti) and became a 501(c)(3) non-profit in the United States on August 22, 2019.

The vision of ITIAHaiti is to ensure that young people have access to jobs and support from the government to develop their talents, securing a brighter future for the next generation. Its mission is to motivate youth to engage in civic activities and leadership through the arts and entrepreneurship. The organization aims to:

- Foster inclusion, social cohesion, and conflict resolution through the arts in various communities.

- Promote the Haitian Creole language while celebrating a culture that reflects the beauty of Haiti.

- Rebuild young people's confidence through seminars focused on autonomy and provide mentorship to help them harness their talents.

ITIAHaiti aspires to be a cornerstone for Haitian youth, uniting individuals from across the globe through social media. It has facilitated numerous debates and brainstorming sessions on platforms like Zoom as well as in-person meetings, covering a range of topics such as:

- Volunteering

- The Role of Youth in Organizations

- Youth and Leadership

- Self-Discovery for Young People

- Creativity in Youth

- Team Spirit Among Youth

- Guidance for Haitian Youth in the Diaspora

- The Importance of Creole Education in Haitian Schools

- Advocacy for Teaching in Creole

- Theater Training

- Business Opportunities

- Economic Aspects of the Creole Language

- Racial Justice.

ITIAHaiti stands out with five fundamental and unique pillars:

1. *Powezi Lawouze*: An open mic space for declamation, slam poetry, audience participation, and song.

2. *Parabòl Savan*: Engaging with contemporary authors through quotation analysis and artistic expressions.

3. *Plim an Aksyon*: Facilitating writing workshops, sketches, and theater rehearsals.

4. **Jagon Literè*: Promoting monolingual Creole dictionaries.

5. *Lakou ITIAHaiti*: Hosting conferences and dialogues focused on socio-economic, political, and cultural issues.

Members of ITIAHaiti also take part in peaceful protests. The writers within ITIAHaiti have observed that their initiatives have not unfolded in a straightforward manner with the Haitian Government authorities. While ITIAHaiti covers various activities, many people simplify ITIAHaiti's mission as primarily centered around promoting the Creole language.

Initially, the founders did not set out to make the Creole language their main focus. However, as they began to address development topics, they realized that education was a significant hurdle, even in environmental and climate discussions. When the issue of education arose, it became clear that the mother tongue is foundational to Haitian learning. Consequently, they launched the EKLA project: "Creole education in Haitian schools" to help fulfill the organization's vision. After numerous dialogue sessions held by the itiahists, they recognized that they needed to engage with the State to realize this dream for Haitian children, understanding that political involvement was essential.

They believe that if all Haitians learn in the language they are most comfortable with, school failure rates will decrease. With an increased literacy rate, there will be less juvenile delinquency, fewer children and youth wandering the streets, and less discrimination and intellectual stigmatization. As more Haitians complete high school, it will lead to greater professional opportunities, the establishment of more universities, and ultimately, comprehensive development. For these aspirations to materialize, every citizen must have a fair chance at obtaining a solid education.

To further this cause, ITIAHaiti members established a political party named KÒTAKÒT on January 12, 2022, under the slogan of continuing their educational efforts on a larger scale, with a shared vision: striving for an AUTONOMOUS HAITI through politics. KÒTAKÒT stands for "Konbit Òganize Toupatou pou Ayiti Kanpe epi Òne Tèritwa" (Organized everywhere for Haiti to stand and beautify the territory).

However, after KÒTAKÒT received its registration on November 28, 2022, the Ministry of Justice discovered another political party using the Kòt-A-Kòt slogan in its logo. Consequently, the Ministry advised the KÒTAKÒT members to rename their political party. This led to the formation of ITIYAyiti (The Creole version of ITIYAyiti), which translates to "Itiyayis Toupatou Ini pou Younifye Ayiti" (Itiyayis all over united for a unified Haiti), officially recognized on March 12, 2026.

BECOME A MEMBER

Wilson Telimo Lwi, President.