On the occasion of the commemorative day of the abolition of slavery on Tuesday, Hollande has announced, “before the end of the year,” a “foundation for the memory of the slavery”. This news coincides with the 15th anniversary of the Taubira law. “I want to give France an institution that still lacks a foundation for the memory of the slave trade, slavery and their abolition,” said the president at commemoration ceremonies organized in the Luxembourg Palace in Paris.
This foundation “will be a source of promoting the values of freedom, equality, tolerance” and “disseminate knowledge of slavery, trafficking, but also the whole fight abolitionists” he added, stating that it had to gather “all the memories and all the French.” Combining “all public, private, associations, companies,” it “will consider with the city of Paris to the building of a memorial to the slave museum and a place.”
Associations Call antiracist
the French-Beninese economist Lionel Zinsou, former Prime Minister of Benin, will chair the preparatory mission of this foundation. He will report “in the autumn” and the institution may be “created before the end of the year,” said the head of state. This announcement comes as several anti-racist associations – SOS Racisme, Cran, LICRA and CRIF – Francois Hollande urged on Monday to create a “museum of slavery.” In a statement, CRAN (Representative Council of Black Associations of France) was immediately welcomed this “victory” which “objectively is an important step to remedies.”
The announcement of François Hollande comes exactly 15 years after the vote of the “Taubira law” which recognized the slave trade and slavery as a crime against humanity. In 2006, former President Jacques Chirac had made May 10 a national day of memory of the slave trade, slavery and their abolition. Slavery was officially abolished in France in 1848.
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