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Category: Press Releases

  • PRESS RELEASE : President paid a visit to the hospital with residents of the Kyiv region wounded by enemy shelling

    PRESS RELEASE : President paid a visit to the hospital with residents of the Kyiv region wounded by enemy shelling

    The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 17 March 2022.

    President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy paid a visit to the Vlasenko family, which got under the shelling by the occupiers during the evacuation from the town of Vorzel, Kyiv region.

    The Vlasenko family moved to the Kyiv region from Crimea after the beginning of the Russian occupation of the peninsula, as they did not want to acquire Russian citizenship.

    When Russia started a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the family decided to leave Vorzel for a safer place, but the car got under enemy fire.

    Then the eldest 16-year-old daughter Katya covered her younger 8-year-old brother Ihor with her body and received significant wounds. Seeing his sister bleeding, Ihor got out of the car and started shouting at the occupiers for what they had done. Mother Tetiana also suffered shrapnel wounds. Father Roman carried the wounded daughter in his arms to help her.

    The mother and daughter will undergo treatment for several months, but they managed to save their family and survive.

    During a meeting with the Vlasenko family at the hospital, Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted their solidarity, care and willingness to protect each other to the end, which saved their lives. The President wished the Vlasenko family a speedy recovery and expressed confidence that they would all soon celebrate Ukraine’s victory together.

    “It cannot be otherwise when there are such strong families in our country,” the President said.

    He presented a tablet for learning, flowers, sweets and fruits to the Vlasenko family.

    Volodymyr Zelenskyy also presented a toy to little Ihor, as the shelling hit the yard of the family house and the boy’s toys were damaged by shrapnel.

    At the hospital, the President of Ukraine also spoke with other Kyiv residents undergoing treatment, a territorial defense fighter and the driver of the documentary journalist Brent Renaud who was killed in Irpin.

     

  • PRESS RELEASE : Ukraine needs effective security guarantees that will work unconditionally – Mykhailo Podolyak

    PRESS RELEASE : Ukraine needs effective security guarantees that will work unconditionally – Mykhailo Podolyak

    The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 17 March 2022.

    Immediate ceasefire and withdrawal of Russian troops from the territory of Ukraine are among the key aspects of a peace agreement that could be signed as a result of negotiations with Russia to end the war against Ukraine. But strategically, our state wants to have a concrete mechanism that will guarantee its security in the future.

    This was stated by Adviser to the Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Mykhailo Podolyak in an interview for WP Wiadomości.

    “Immediate ceasefire and immediate withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine is one of the key aspects of the peace agreement. There is no other way. However, the negotiations are a large-scale process in which not only Russia and Ukraine are involved. Our partners also take an indirect part. Because we don’t just have to sign a treaty. We want to develop a concrete mechanism that will guarantee our security in the future,” he said.

    Mykhailo Podolyak noted that the Ukrainian and Russian delegations are still defending their positions at the talks, so it may take some time to agree on the disputed issues. Unfortunately, the process is not as fast as we would like it to be.

    “During this time, we must move closer to a peace agreement. First of all, taking into account the interests of Ukraine, which has suffered enormous destruction by the Russian Federation,” he stressed.

    The Adviser to the Head of the President’s Office is convinced that after the signing of such an agreement, Russia will have no choice but to begin the immediate withdrawal of its armed forces from Ukraine.

    “After the signing of the treaty, the Vienna Convention will enter into force for both parties. It makes it clear that a peace treaty can be annulled if the belligerent states do not withdraw their troops from the enemy’s territory. Therefore, any attempts to keep Russian soldiers on Ukrainian land will be legally groundless,” he explained.

    Mykhailo Podoyak noted that in order to prevent Russia’s another violation of international law and treaties, Ukraine wants to spell out in detail a specific plan for the withdrawal of Russian troops, legally verify it and gain the support of international partners.

    “Besides, it is foreign states that will guarantee the fulfillment of conditions and Ukraine’s security in the future. This will be a document that describes in detail the procedure in case of repeated aggression by Russia. This is an innovative formula authored by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, which can become the basis for creating a completely new security system in Europe,” said the Adviser to the Head of the President’s Office.

    In his opinion, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has shown that the entire architecture of European security must be revised. That is why our state wants to end this war with a new coalition, so powerful that it will stop Russia if it wants to attack someone again.

    Theoretically, now is the time to speak publicly about all aspects of modern challenges and openly assess the level of modern security contours. Do they cope with these challenges? Can they protect European cities from the barbaric bombings that Ukraine is experiencing today? Will Europe be able to finally get rid of the fear of the Russian Federation? It is obvious that the countries that will be the new guarantors of security will undertake certain commitments. “In the future, on the basis of today’s global crisis, a completely new alliance will be created, which will ensure the security of the whole of Europe,” Mykhailo Podolyak stressed.

    The Adviser to the Head of the President’s Office stated that Ukraine would not agree to compromises that could damage its interests in any way. And it is not for the sake of such compromises that Ukrainians are now dying on the battlefields willing to fight to the end.

    “We are not Russia. We know how and will continue to have a dialogue with our society. And we always hear our society. Unlike Russia, we can discuss any issues that should have been discussed long ago, but we will not agree to any ultimatum,” he said.

    Mykhailo Podolyak noted that despite the complexity of this process, Ukraine must hold negotiations with Russia, as no one else wants to fight together with our state. We just have to understand that negotiations during the war are just another frontline.

  • PRESS RELEASE : To date, nine humanitarian corridors have been agreed upon to evacuate the population and send aid – Iryna Vereshchuk

    PRESS RELEASE : To date, nine humanitarian corridors have been agreed upon to evacuate the population and send aid – Iryna Vereshchuk

    The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 17 March 2022.

    As of March 17, nine humanitarian corridors have been agreed upon to evacuate residents of settlements affected by the Russian invasion. An information bureau for war prisoners has also been set up. This was announced by Deputy Prime Minister – Minister for Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories Iryna Vereshchuk.

    In particular, an evacuation corridor from the city of Mariupol to the city of Zaporizhzhia has been agreed upon in the Donetsk region.

    “We have asked for approval of this route and plan to send buses from the city of Zaporizhzhia to Berdyansk to gather people from Mariupol. We will also send a tank truck to refuel private cars on the route,” she said.

    A number of humanitarian corridors are planned in the Kyiv region:

    From Borodyanka to Zhytomyr.

    From the village of Shevchenkove to the city of Brovary.

    “We also plan to deliver humanitarian aid in the form of food and medicine to the cities of Hostomel and Bucha, the villages of Semypolky, Markivka and Opanasiv,” said Iryna Vereshchuk.

    In the Kharkiv region, a humanitarian route from the city of Vovchansk to Kharkiv has been agreed upon.

    According to Iryna Vereshchuk, work is underway to ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid to all settlements that are surrounded or blocked.

    “We are stepping up our efforts to free captured civilians,” she said.

    These include the release of Dniprorudne Mayor Yevhen Matvieyev, Melitopol District Council Chairman Serhiy Pryyma, Ivankiv Mayor Tetiana Svyrydenko, Shchastya Civil City Administration Chairman Volodymyr Tiurin, Skadovsk City Council Secretary Yuriy Paliukh and SES rescuer Oleksiy Danchenko.

    Iryna Vereshchuk informed that in accordance with the Geneva Convention relative to the treatment of prisoners of war, the National Information Bureau was established on March 17.

    “It is determined that the state enterprise “Ukrainian National Center for Peacebuilding”, which belongs to the Ministry of Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories, will be a legal entity of public law and perform the functions of the National Information Bureau. We have informed the Red Cross through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs about the establishment of such a bureau and we hope that our work will be fruitful and productive for people, families who are waiting for their children to return home from captivity,” said the Deputy Prime Minister.

     

  • PRESS RELEASE : President of Ukraine held a meeting with the International Criminal Court Prosecutor

    PRESS RELEASE : President of Ukraine held a meeting with the International Criminal Court Prosecutor

    The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 16 March 2022.

    President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a video conference with International Criminal Court Prosecutor Karim Khan who is on a visit to our country.

    The President noted the importance of the decision of the International Criminal Court to start an investigation into Russia’s horrific violations of international criminal law during the invasion of Ukraine.

    The President also thanked him for the visit to our country at this difficult time.

    “It is very important for us during the war, during the aggression of the Russian state against our people, that you reacted so quickly, so professionally,” said Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

    He assured that the Ukrainian authorities are ready to provide maximum assistance to the ICC investigation team, which began working in our country in March. The Prosecutor General of Ukraine and relevant law enforcement agencies are involved in this work.

    “Everyone understands what is happening. There are already two thousand war prisoners, there are witnesses, there are video testimonies and everything they said without pressure. All those who took people’s lives for nothing on our land must be punished. We will cooperate with you at the highest level,” the President said.

    He stressed that no war crime or crime against humanity committed as a result of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine should be left unpunished. Everyone guilty must be brought to international legal and criminal responsibility – from the perpetrators to the military-political leadership of the aggressor country.

    Karim Khan, for his part, said that he had already had the opportunity to see photos and videos of the aftermath of the invasion and bombings in Mariupol and other cities – the suffering of people, including children and women.

    “The law must now move forward and be used to protect these people,” the International Criminal Court Prosecutor said.

    He stated that in order to support Ukraine in this struggle, a historically rapid unification of a large number of countries took place.

    “They realized that the rule of law could not just live in universities and courts. It must be put into practice if we want justice,” Karim Khan said, adding that he looked forward to effective cooperation with Ukraine to receive information from all intercepted evidence in order to really get to the bottom of it.

    Volodymyr Zelenskyy stressed that he was ready to do everything possible to facilitate the ICC investigation “so that all criminals could be brought to justice.”

  • PRESS RELEASE : As of today, Ukraine has become a member of the European Energy Union – Volodymyr Zelenskyy

    PRESS RELEASE : As of today, Ukraine has become a member of the European Energy Union – Volodymyr Zelenskyy

    The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 16 March 2022.

    The system operator of the Ukrainian power grid Ukrenergo, together with its European counterparts, has completed the integration of domestic and European energy systems. This was stated by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

    “Ukrainian and European energy systems are already working synchronously,” the President said.

    He reminded that on the night when Russia started the war against Ukraine, our state disconnected from the Russian and Belarusian energy systems and will never return.

    “The enemy expected that the Ukrainian power system would collapse, that we would not be able to cope, so he seized the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, deliberately bombed and keeps bombing thermal power plants in Ukrainian cities and power lines. But the Ukrainian energy system has worked stably and steadily throughout the 21 days of the war, as recognized by Europeans. And starting from today we are no longer alone. As of today, Ukrainian electricity flows to Europe and European electricity flows to Ukraine,” said Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

    According to him, from now on the Ukrainian energy system has reliable energy reserves, which are located abroad, so it is protected from attacks by the invader.

    “I am thankful to all the EU member states, personally to President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, European Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simson and dozens of people from Ukraine and Europe who worked day and night during these days of war, so that today we can say this: Ukraine is in the “energy EU”. We now have a single energy circulatory system from Lisbon to Mariupol. Ukraine is in the “energy eurozone”. We cannot be defeated,” the President said.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Ukrainian side has not yet received approval of humanitarian corridors for evacuation of the population on March 16 – Iryna Vereshchuk

    PRESS RELEASE : Ukrainian side has not yet received approval of humanitarian corridors for evacuation of the population on March 16 – Iryna Vereshchuk

    The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 16 March 2022.

    As of March 16, the Ukrainian side has not received a response on the approval of humanitarian corridors, and so far there are no guarantees for the safe evacuation of residents of settlements affected by the Russian invasion. This was announced by Deputy Prime Minister – Minister for Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories Iryna Vereshchuk.

    “During the work of humanitarian corridors in the last few days, Russia has started gross violations of the ceasefire agreements. The invaders began firing at humanitarian convoys of buses, settlements and gathering places of people from which the evacuation of civilians was planned, as well as taking hostages of escorts,” she said.

    Iryna Vereshchuk reminded that Oleksiy Danchenko, a rescuer from the State Emergency Service, remains in captivity. In addition, the invaders seized an intensive care hospital in Mariupol, took hostage 400 people, medical staff, and shelling is held from there now.

    “We have not received a response to our proposals made yesterday to the International Committee of the Red Cross to open humanitarian corridors today. The issue of organizing humanitarian corridors today for Izyum and Mariupol remains open. In such conditions, of course, we cannot safely evacuate people,” said the Deputy Prime Minister.

    According to her, work is underway to organize the delivery of humanitarian aid, including food and medicine, to the captured or surrounded settlements of the Luhansk, Kharkiv, Donetsk, Kyiv, Zaporizhzhia, Sumy, Chernihiv and Kherson regions.

    Iryna Vereshchuk added that in case of change or opening of humanitarian corridors she will inform during the day.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with the heads of governments of Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovenia in Kyiv

    PRESS RELEASE : Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with the heads of governments of Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovenia in Kyiv

    The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 16 March 2022.

    President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with Prime Minister of Poland Mateusz Morawiecki, Deputy Prime Minister of Poland Jarosław Kaczyński, Prime Minister of the Czech Republic Petr Fiala and Prime Minister of Slovenia Janez Janša who arrived in Kyiv.

    The President of Ukraine thanked the heads of government of Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovenia for the support their countries provide to Ukraine, as well as for their personal visit to Kyiv.

    “At a time when many ambassadors have left Ukraine in connection with the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation, these dignitaries, leaders of their beautiful independent European states, fear nothing, care for our fate more, and they are here to support us. This is a great courageous, correct and friendly step. And I am sure that with such friends, with such countries, with such neighbors and partners, we will really be able to win,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy told reporters after the meeting.

    The President noted that the talks focused on security guarantees for Ukraine, strengthening sanctions against the aggressor state, as well as the prospects of Ukraine’s membership in the European Union.

    The interlocutors also touched upon plans to rebuild our country after the end of hostilities. In this context, international assistance in replenishing the relevant reconstruction funds already established by the Ukrainian government is important.

    “We know for sure that everything we are discussing will reach the positive goal for our country, our security and our future,” the President stressed.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Research shows Londoners are worst affected by soaring inflation

    PRESS RELEASE : Research shows Londoners are worst affected by soaring inflation

    The press release issued by the Mayor of London on 22 August 2022.

    • New City Hall analysis shows Londoners are experiencing higher inflation for local goods and services than the average across the UK
    • Local food and rental asking prices driving London’s underlying inflation
    • Low-paid Londoners face double threat of slow pay rises and rising inflation

    The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has warned that low paid Londoners are being hit harder by the cost of living crisis than other parts of the UK, as new City Hall research suggests that London is experiencing faster underlying inflation in some areas.

    The UK’s rate of inflation jumped to 10.1 per cent in July, the first time it has registered a double-digit annual increase in more than four decades, and Bank of England projections point to inflation accelerating further later this year. However, over the last six months, underlying inflation for local prices in London has consistently been found to track 1.5 percentage points higher than the national figure.

    Rising local food costs is one of the key pressures pushing the capital’s underlying inflation above the national average. This will affect Londoners on the lowest incomes the hardest as they spend a larger proportion of their income on food.

    London rental prices are also a major factor: the Rightmove Rental Price Tracker (1) indicates asking rents for new rentals in London are growing faster than anywhere else in the UK, up as much as 15.8 per cent annually in the last three months. This inflationary pressure will only grow as more people renew or move out of contracts that may have been kept at a lower price for longer due to the pandemic.

    However, Londoners spend less on energy compared to their counterparts in the rest of the UK due to warmer weather and smaller property sizes due to high housing costs, though they are of course still severely affected by inflation.

    Meanwhile, London continues to see an uneven pattern of pay growth, with mostly high-paying jobs seeing the fastest wage growth, and lower-paying sectors seeing slower growth. Whilst sectors such as finance, ICT and science and technology have seen median pay grow by more than 17 per cent in London since 2019, sectors with low median pay have seen much smaller pay rises, which will likely be rendered as pay cuts in real terms when inflation is accounted for (Table 1).

    Research from YouGov published last week (2) found 20 per cent of lower-income Londoners have regularly or occasionally gone without food or essential items or relied on outside support in the last six months. The number of Londoners being hit by the rising cost of living is also going up every month, with nearly a third saying they are ‘just about managing’ and almost one in five ‘financially struggling’.

    Those being hit the hardest and most likely to say they are financially struggling are Asian and Black Londoners, those with an income of less than £20,000, renters and Deaf and Disabled Londoners.

    Sadiq has suggested a range of measures the Government should implement now to ease the cost of living crisis for Londoners.

    These include:

    • The introduction of an energy ‘Lifeline Tariff’ for the most vulnerable Londoners, providing the minimum energy needed for a household to function for free, with any charges kicking in only once a minimum use threshold had been met. This would be a major step towards helping ensure people would not need to choose between heating and eating this winter.
    • Introducing a two-year rent freeze for London’s 2.4m private renters, which would act as a first step towards devolving full rent control powers to cool London’s overheated private rental sector. City Hall analysis shows a rent freeze in the capital over two years would save renters an average of £2,988.
    • Extending the provision of healthy free school meals to all primary school children during term-time with free meal vouchers available for those in most need during the school holidays. As well as helping all families with the cost of living, research shows that making free school meals universal helps reduce stigma and therefore boosts take up among families who need them most.
    • Restoring the £20 Universal Credit uplift, which Ministers removed in September last year, pushing 130,000 more Londoners into poverty. The Mayor is also calling for all benefits to be raised in line with inflation and all caps to be removed to help cut poverty in London and across the UK.

    The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan said: “This new report shows in black and white that millions of low paid Londoners are living on the front line of the cost of living crisis.

    “I’m doing all I can to support Londoners, but we need the Government to step up. This must include doing more on energy bills to ensure no one has to make the choice this winter of heating their home or eating, increasing benefits in line with inflation, and giving me the power to implement rent controls in London.

    “Whoever becomes the next Prime Minister must make tackling the cost of living for Londoners – and people across the country – their top priority.”

  • PRESS RELEASE : Mayor launches new nature trails to connect Londoners to green spaces

    PRESS RELEASE : Mayor launches new nature trails to connect Londoners to green spaces

    The press release issued by the Mayor of London on 23 August 2022.

    ·         Four new London Nature Trails provide walking routes to connect natural spaces in the city’s most built up areas

    The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has launched four new London Nature Trails for Londoners to enjoy over the August bank holiday weekend.

    The new walking routes connect natural spaces in the city’s most built up areas via green “corridors”, such as waterways and tree-lined streets to promote the health and wellbeing benefits of spending time in nature. The Covid-19 lockdown highlighted how vital it is for Londoners to have access to green spaces for good health and wellbeing. These walking routes will connect Londoners to nature on their doorstep and will also help to address the inequalities in access to green space across our city.

    The four new London Nature Trails are –

    o    Wanstead to Royal Docks (East London)

    o    Brockley to Bermondsey (South London)

    o    Swiss Cottage to Kings Cross (Central London)

    o    Wembley Stadium to Burnt Oak (North London)

    Nature sites along the route include Camley Street Natural Park (Camden), Stave Hill Ecological Park (Southwark), Welsh Harp Open Space (Brent) and Bow Creek Ecology Park (Newham). The trails also pass landmarks such as the new City Hall in the Royal Docks, the Covid-19 memorial at the London Blossom Garden at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Wembley Stadium, ZSL London Zoo, the Thames and many more.

    To launch the new routes, free nature activities will take place across the city this Bank Holiday weekend as part of the Mayor’s Let’s Do London campaign – which has been encouraging people back to the capital following the devastating impact of COVID-19 on the tourism industry

    These include bug house building, nature hunts and sculpture workshops. Full details on the routes and free activities can be found at www.footways.london/london-nature-trails

    The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan said: 

    “The recent heatwaves, wildfires and flash-flooding we’ve experienced shows how vulnerable London is to the climate emergency. I’m doing all I can to support London’s green spaces and help improve the resilience of areas in our city.

     “Every Londoner should have access to quality green spaces that are proven to help our health and well-being.

    “I encourage all Londoners living near one of the new nature trails to get out and enjoy the routes. These new trails will show Londoners that even in built up areas, there are hidden gems to be explored and are a key part of my vision of a safer, fairer, greener and more prosperous city for all Londoners.”

    Emma Griffin, Co-founder of Footways said:

    “Walking is the best way to see London, enjoy its wildlife and be healthy. We’ve carefully designed these walking routes to follow London’s natural corridors – its canals, rivers, parks, woodlands and nature reserves. We’ve also picked out some interesting cultural and historical features to discover on the way. So whether you want a full-day activity, or choose a section for a shorter walk, you’re guaranteed to see something new and feel great.”

  • PRESS RELEASE : UNESCO Day for Remembering the Transatlantic Slave Trade and Abolition

    PRESS RELEASE : UNESCO Day for Remembering the Transatlantic Slave Trade and Abolition

    The press release issued by the Mayor of London on 23 August 2022.

    City Hall will tonight (Tuesday 23) hold an event to commemorate the UNESCO International Day for Remembrance of the Transatlantic Slave Trade and its Abolition.

    The fifth annual event, and the first to be held at City Hall’s new location at the Royal Docks, will remember the victims of the Transatlantic slave trade, reflect on its legacy, and honour those freedom fighters who fought for its abolition.

    This year’s overarching theme is ‘decolonisation’ and will consider how we can best decolonise our history and ensure that the Transatlantic slave trade and its devastating, wide-ranging and ongoing impact is never forgotten.

    This year’s event is in partnership with Sankofa Day and will be hosted by broadcaster Eddie Nestor MBE. The event will include speeches from Dr Debbie Weekes Bernard, Deputy Mayor for Communities and Social Justice; Dr Onkar Sahota, Chair of the London Assembly; and Gabriela Ramos, Assistant Director General of Social and Human Sciences at UNESCO.

    The keynote speech will be given by Professor Verene Shepherd, Fellow of the Cambridge Commonwealth Society and Hon. Fellow, Jesus College, Cambridge. Prof. Shepherd is the first Jamaican/CARICOM citizen and the first Black woman of African descent in the African diaspora to chair the United Nations’ Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

    Other speakers and performers include Brixton born Irish-Jamaican spoken word artist Ragz-CV, the London Youth Assembly, music by jazz band Tomorrows Warriors, the South African Cultural Gospel Choir UK, and an art exhibition by Deanio X.

    The event has been planned in conjunction with the Windrush Foundation, Slavery Remembrance, and Wanda Nation and will be broadcast online from 6pm.

    The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “It is hugely important to remember and honour the millions who suffered as a result of the Transatlantic slave trade and the impact this has had on generations of Black communities here in London and worldwide. By bringing Londoners together for this event we provide an opportunity to reflect on the injustices of the slave trade, while learning about and celebrating all those who resisted and helped bring about change. We will also pay tribute to grassroots Black activist movements in present day and the work they are doing to improve our society.”

    Deputy Mayor for Communities and Social Justice, Dr Debbie Weekes Bernard, said: “This event provides a significant opportunity for Londoners of all backgrounds to come together and learn about how the history of the capital connects to histories of enslavement. The impact of Transatlantic slavery shaped the London we live in today, so it is crucial that we deepen our understanding of the legacy and effects of this appalling practice. We must take the time to remember the millions who suffered and died, celebrate those who fought to bring about abolition, and acknowledge the lasting injustices that tragically continue to affect Black Londoners today.”

    Director of the Windrush Foundation, Arthur Torrington CBE, said: “This is an annual commemoration that focusses on more than 12 million Africans who were trafficked and enslaved in the West Indies, Americas, and Europe from the 16th century. On 23 August, we come together and celebrate the men and women who resisted and campaigned for its abolition. Also, we vow to fight against all forms of racism and enslavement.”