2010 International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition
Initiated in 1998 under the leadership of UNESCO, the International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and of its Abolition on 23rd August is a moment of commemoration observed around the world.
This is a significant date as it recalls an uprising of enslaved Africans on the island of Saint Domingue in 1791, resulting in the establishment of the Republic of Haiti, the first black independent state in the Western World. The date has been designated by UNESCO as Slavery Remembrance Day, a reminder that enslaved Africans were the main agents of their own liberation.
Today, the 23rd August is intended to remind the world of the tragedy of the slave trade. The day is an opportunity for widespread reflection as to the causes and consequences slavery, thereby putting an end to the silence that has too long surrounded this human tragedy.
Countless activities are organised throughout the world to coincide with the event and in the UK a series of events are planned to mark this important day:
- The International Slavery Museum in Liverpool is organising a Slavery Remembrance Day festival (23 August). The day's programme will include live music, community showcases, cultural crafts and a traditional African libation ceremony. Market stalls will also be selling traditional West African and Caribbean food.
- The National Maritime Museum in Greenwich will host a series of events on the 23rd August, including a reflective and remembering space, an object handling workshop, an archive session, the Talawa Young People’s Theatre, a performance poetry workshop, interactive talks, and storytelling of Anansi stories from West Africa to the Caribbean.
- The Bristol Legacy Commission has organised a free concert featuring performances in the new wing of Colston Hall, including performances by Biram Seck, a Senagalese singer/songwriter, and Mensah, a dubstep DJ. The concert is part of a series of community events which will take place on Monday 23rd August. There will also be a celebratory mini carnival in Queen Square featuring the African Sambistas – a high energy dance troupe, and a Caribbean food stall.
Written: 17/08/2010 , last modified: 17/08/2010
Door of no return, sculpture by D. Kouass, Benin