NICH ACTIVITIES TO REFLECT COMMEMORATION OF 200TH ANNIVERSARY OF ABOLITION OF TRANS-ATLANTIC SLAVE TRADE

March 26, 2007

In November 2006, The United Nations adopted a resolution declaring March 25 as the International Day for the Commemoration for the 200th anniversary of the Abolition of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade.  The National Institute of Culture and History has announced its plan to recognize this significant anniversary to our own history.  We spoke with President of NICH, Yasser Musa.

YASSER MUSA, NICH

“Belize along with many other Caribbean countries are acknowledging and respecting this significant anniversary to our own history, but NICH is planning to do five major things in the next few months regarding the two hundredth anniversary. One is a tertiary debate schedule for late April, institute of Social and Cultural Research. We are developing a special exhibition title Free Again which involve the history of slavery and post slavery abolition. The third thing is that we are in collaboration with the Post Office to issue a commemorative stamp later this year dealing with the anniversary. Fourth we are going to be working with the Bliss Center for the Performing Arts and ICA to show educational movies and documentary related to this topic. Then finally in August of this year, we are going to be erecting a monument on Emancipation Day at the Government House, The House of Culture in Belize City commemorating the 200th Anniversary of the abolition of trans Atlantic Slave Trade. When I say the abolition of the slave trade I have to be very clear in terms of saying that it was the abolition of the trade and of course we know it was not until the 1830’s that Belize abolish slavery and we got emancipation. First came the abolition of the trade meaning that they were no longer, it was illegal to trade people into slavery on March 25th 1807 that act was abolish.”

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