Mauritius: The Prime Minister pf Mauritius, Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, inaugurated and unveiled the Plaque of the Valley of the Bones Trail of Le Morne Brabant Mountain. The inauguration ceremomy was hosted oon Sunday with several ministers of the government in attendance.
The Minister of Land Transport and Light Rail, Alan Ganoo, and the Minister of Arts and Cultural Heritage, Avinash Teeluck attended the inauguration event. The ministers of the government Private Parliamentary Secretaries as well as other personalities were also present.
During the inauguration event, Prime Minister and his guests also walked along the Le Morne Brabant Mountain Memorial Trail. The trails covered a distance of around 3.5 km.
Le Morne Heritage Trust Fund in collaboration with the Ministry of Arts and Cultural Heritage hosted the event. they were also supported by the National Heritage Fund to host the inauguration and celebrate African World Heritage Day.
Prime Minister Jugnauth delivered a brief address at the inauguration event. He highlighted the importance of valorising the national heritage sites attached to the history of the country and ancestors.
He highlighted that Le Morne Brabant has been inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List. The reason for the inclusion of the site is its exceptional testimony to maroonage or resistance to slavery.
The Prime Minister noted that the mountain was previously used as a fortress to shelter escaped slaves. He acknowledged the sacrifices, perseverance and hard work of the ancestors and saluted their contribution in laying the foundation of Mauritius.
He further highlighted that the new trail is another symbol to recognise and commemorate the slavery and slave trade’s impact on Mauritian history. The newly inaugurated trail is also a way to pay reverence to our ancestors.
The Valley of the Bones trail will further familiarise Mauritians as well as foreign visitors of the country’s history. The tourists will learn about rich cultural heritage, as well as the sufferings and exploitation the slaves had to endure at that time.
Minister Teeluck underlined that the launch of the new trail is a way to redynamise the country’s historical and cultural value. He recalled that an open air museum was inaugurated at Trou Chenille in 2020.
He also highlighted that the Slavery museum has been opened to the public to better inform the visitors of the different phases of development of Mauritius. The launch is also the beginning of a series of celebrations that will be organised to mark the 190th Anniversary of the Abolition of Slavery in 2025, he pointed out.