British Council to mark 200 years of abolition of slavery

Elmina (C/R), March 14, GNA - The British Council in collaboration with Strategic Communication Africa Ltd, a communication consultancy firm is to hold a reverential, dubbed 'creative celebrations' to "commemorate and recognize" the end of the transatlantic slave trade, and Ghana's 50th independence anniversary, at the Elmina castle on March 25 2007.
     Mrs Offeibea Baddoo, Senior Communications Officer of the firm made this known at a day's workshop for the media in the Central Region to inform them about the event.
     The workshop was among others, to promote wide support for the event and to facilitate its sustained impact.     
     She explained that the event, which was a creative and shared artistic experience, was aimed at reflecting the significance of the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the slave trade by an Act of the British Parliament, as well as to explore and strengthen the relationship between the United Kingdom and Africa over the last 200 years.
     According to Mrs Baddoo, about 600 people from all over the world including Baroness Amos, Leader of Britain's House of Lords, were expected to participate in the event, which she stressed, was not for entertainment, but to "celebrate diversity over historical time, space and our contemporary existence".
     She said in addition, there would be performances by renowned artistes and poets, such as Professor Anyidoho, Hugh Masekela, Agya Koo Nimo and Linton Kwesi Johnson, as well as by the London Community Gospel and Winneba Youth choirs.
     Mrs Baddoo said it was imperative for the media to know about the positive and negative effects of the slave trade so that they would be in a better position to inform the public.
     She also stressed the need for all to participate to enable them derive some ideas that would help enhance relations between Africa and Britain.

14 March 07