OUIDAH (Benin), Aug 24 (NNN-XINHUA) — Afro-descendants together with political, administrative and religious leaders paid tribute on Saturday to the victims of the slave trade in Ouidah, a historic city in southern Benin, on the occasion of the International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition.
Starting at the Place aux Encheres, a former slave auction site, participants walked about 2 km to the Door of No Return, a symbolic departure point for deportation to the Americas, to honor the memory of their ancestors.
Beninese Minister of Tourism, Culture and Arts Jean-Michel Abimbola said the annual commemoration, held on Aug. 23, reminds the Beninese people of the painful history of the deportation of millions of men, women and children.
Bertin Pedro, an Afro-descendant from Haiti, welcomed the initiative, saying it helps strengthen ties between Benin and the African diaspora. He added that Benin has promulgated a law recognizing Afro-descendants of the slave trade and granting them the right to acquire Beninese nationality.
Held under the theme “Memory, Resilience and Future: Honoring the Victims, Building for Tomorrow” this year, the commemoration also brought together researchers, cultural figures and diaspora representatives for discussions on preserving memory and advancing remembrance initiatives. — NNN-XINHUA
