Culture
175th anniversary of abolition in 2023: "Sailing to Freedom" show was scheduled at Friar’s Bay
For the 175th anniversary of the abolition of slavery on 28 May 2023, the Collectivité scheduled a ceremony at the Agrément roundabout and a free show, "Sailing to Freedom", on Friar’s Bay beach.
By SXM Daily ·
Reported 22 May 2023.
The Collectivité de Saint-Martin scheduled its official commemoration of the 175th anniversary of the abolition of slavery for Sunday 28 May 2023, according to its invitation published by Faxinfo. Slavery was abolished in Saint-Martin on 28 May 1848.
The ceremony
The official ceremony was scheduled from 16:30 to 17:30 at the Agrément roundabout, with speeches by the President of the Collectivité and the Préfet and a wreath at the Lady Liberty statue.
"Sailing to Freedom"
At 18:00 a free show, "Sailing to Freedom", was to be staged on Friar's Bay beach, at the Friar's Bay Beach Café end. Performed in Saint-Martin English, it told the story of enslaved people who fled to Anguilla, where slavery had been abolished in 1833. Free shuttles were to run from the La Savane sports centre.
For background, see our page on Emancipation and the abolition of slavery on Saint Martin.
Sources
- https://www.faxinfo.fr/en/commemoration-175eme-anniversaire-de-labolition-de-lesclavage-un-grand-spectacle-culturel-sailing-to-freedom-organise-a-friars-bay-le-28-mai/
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