Please note that this event has already occured.
Key information
Date: Wednesday 23 August 2023
Time: 5:00pm to 6:00pm
Venue: City Hall, Kamal Chunchie Way, London, E16 1ZE, GB
Cost: Free
About the event
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, and Deputy Mayor for Communities and Social Justice, Dr Debbie Weekes-Bernard are hosting the sixth annual ceremony to mark the UNESCO Day for Remembering the Transatlantic Slave Trade and its Abolition.
The theme of this year’s event is ‘Fighting Slavery’s Legacy of Racism Through Transformative Education.’
The ceremony will provide an inclusive space for all people to remember the victims of the transatlantic slave trade, reflect on its legacy, honour freedom fighters and look forward to transforming the legacy of racism through progressive education.
Event programme
5pm - ceremony starts
- libation by Paa "C" Quaye, Artistic/Executive Director at Ujamaa Arts Project Limited
- welcome to ceremony by host Dr Debbie Weekes-Bernard, Deputy Mayor for Communities and Social Justice
- video address by Ângela Melo, Director of Division for Research, Ethics and Inclusion, Social and Human Sciences Sector, UNESCO
- speech by Andrew Boff AM, Chair of the London Assembly
- spoken word performance by George the Poet
- mayoral address by the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan
- musical performance by singers Prudence Jezile and Asanda Jezile
- keynote address by His Excellency, Judge Patrick Robinson
- affirmations recited by:
- Arthur Torrington
- Reannah Britto
- Keith Magee
- Zerritha Brown
- Natasha Trotman
- Priscellia Robinson
- Alfred Kingsnorth
- Esther Stanford Xosei
- one minute silence
- musical performance by singers Prudence Jezile and Asanda Jezile.
- thanks and close of ceremony by host Dr Debbie Weekes-Bernard, Deputy Mayor for Communities and Social Justice.
6pm - ceremony ends.