Vincentians mark African Liberation Day

Vincentians are being called upon to value the colour of their skin and to take every opportunity to learn about their African Heritage as African Liberation Day, is celebrated today with a march and rally that is scheduled to take place at Heritage Square.{{more}}

Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Minister of Urban Development, Labour, Culture and Electoral Matters, René Baptiste told the media that a greater level of sensitivity and awareness is expected from graduates in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

“I believe that we now have the responsibility as inheritors of the scholarships where we were thought how to analyze, how to look in depth, how to find solutions. We must now come out and take our heads out of the textbooks and the degrees of the university and … understand more about out African Heritage,” Baptiste stated.

“There is not sufficient awareness about the history of Africa and the importance of Africa in the history of the Caribbean and specifically St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Too little is known about our roots,” she said.

For the rest of the year, the series of lectures on Africa and the slave trade will continue since too little is known about African ancestry. According to the Minister, at the end of the lecture series, the ministry is planning to publish these lectures and distribute them to all the primary and secondary school History teachers.

Celebrations for African liberation Day began yesterday Thursday, May 24 with a lecture from Professor Alvin Thompson of the University of the West Indies. Today, a March around Kingstown followed by a rally at Heritage Square will take place. Tomorrow, an African film night will be held.

On April 15, 1958 the first significant Pan-African conference was held on African soil that signified the collective expression of African people’s disgust with the system of colonialism and imperialism and the suffering they encountered.

On May 25, 1963 leaders from 32 independent African states formed the Organisation of African Unity (OAU). At this historic meeting the date of African Freedom Day was changed from April 15 to May 25 and Africa Freedom Day was declared as African Liberation Day (ALD). (SB)