Africa-Press – Mauritius. The imperative of preserving and enhancing the rich and multicultural heritage of Mauritius, as a duty to the country and to the young generations, was the main focus of the message of the Prime Minister, Mr Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, this morning, at the Trou Fanfaron Wharf, next to the Aapravasi Ghat World Heritage Site.
The Prime Minister was addressing the gathering of some 4,000 people, including the Special Representative of the Prime Minister of the Republic of India, the Minister of State for External Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs of India, Shri V.Muraleedharan; the Cabinet; and Members of Parliament and the Diplomatic Corps, during the ceremony held to commemorate the 189th Anniversary of the Arrival of Indentured Labourers in Mauritius. The commemorative event was organised by the Ministry of Arts and Cultural Heritage, in collaboration with the Aapravasi Ghat Trust Fund.
It comprised a wreath-laying ceremony by the Prime Minster, the Special Representative from India and other dignitaries; the launching of joint postal stamps and souvenir sheets marking the 75th Anniversary of India-Mauritius diplomatic relations; cultural and artistic items highlighting the historical legacy of the Indentured Labourers; and the launching of the annual Aapravasi Ghat Trust Fund magazine.
In his speech, Prime Minister Jugnauth recalled the arrival of the first 36 Indentured Workers who set foot on Mauritian soil, 189 years ago, following their journey on board the M.
V. Atlas from India, and held to be the precursors and trail blazers of almost half a million Indentured Labourers who subsequently travelled to Mauritius.
He put forward the contribution of the Indentured Labourers and their descendants in making of a small Indian Ocean island a peaceful multi-ethnic democratic country while they endured hard time, with courage and resilience, and without relinquishing their culture and traditions.
The Head of Government, hence, invited the population to, not only pay tribute to those who toiled for the country’s development, but to also learn from history and draw inspiration from their forefathers to make progress in the right direction.
He underlined the various initiatives by Government and the relevant institutions to protect and safeguard memorial sites so that they become places of knowledge on slavery and indentured labour.
Thus, the Prime Minister mentioned the protection of the Aapravasi Ghat site as National Heritage under the National Heritage Fund Act 2003 and the Aapravasi Ghat Trust Fund Act 2001, and its proclamation as a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) World Heritage Site in 2006; the teaching of Bhojpuri language in schools; and the inscription of Geet-Gawai, Bhojpuri folk songs, on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
He announced that a ‘Bhojpuri Mahotsav’ would take place in April 2024 in Mauritius. Mr Jugnauth talked as well of the upcoming creation of a global database of Indian immigrants and their descendants in view of conducting research on the impact of indentured labour on humanity.
To the Special Representative of the Prime Minister of the Republic of India, Mr Jugnauth expressed his gratitude for his presence which, he stated, was a testimony of India’s continued consideration and affection for Mauritius and its people.
He remarked upon the collaboration and bonds of kinship uniting the two nations, strengthened by the grant assistance to the tune of Rs 400 m for the implementation of small development projects across Mauritius such as a sports complex at L’Espérance and an 8MW Solar PV Farm Project at Henrietta, and the signature of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Mauritius Research and Innovation Council and the Indian Space Research Organisation on cooperation on the development of a joint satellite.
Prime Minister Jugnauth dwelt too on the recently signed cultural exchange agreement between the Republics of Mauritius and India. “It is another vivid example of our special ties and relationship that would bring added benefits in terms of technical expertise, national and international support, and funding of projects which would help the Aapravasi Ghat Trust Fund better achieve its objectives,” he said.
Special Representative pays tribute to Mauritius’s first Indian Immigrants For his part, the Minister of State for External Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs of India stated that the organised movement of nearly half a million of Indian Indentured Labourers had shaped the vibrant cultural Mauritius and laid the foundation of closed ties and kinship between India and Mauritius.
“Mauritius’s success story is in itself a shining testament to the triumph of hope over fear, faith over despair, human spirit over external circumstances,” he affirmed.
As he saluted and paid homage to the first men and women who climbed the flights of 16 steps at the Aapravasi Ghat 189 years ago, Shri V. Muraleedharan prayed that their hard work, resilience and sacrifice continued to inspire others to reach higher and do better.
“The Indentured Labourers are the truest testimony to the indomitable power of human will,” he said.
Regarding the ties between Mauritius and India, the Special Representative spoke of the privilege that his visit to Mauritius coincided with the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two nations.
He was of the view that the bilateral relations had grown from strength to strength in several sectors namely development partnership, maritime security cooperation, capacity building and collaboration in international fora.
“We stand shoulder to shoulder, supporting each other at all times,” he asserted. Following the commemorative ceremony, Shri V.
Muraleedharan, proceeded to the Beekrumsing Ramlallah Interpretation Centre at the Aapravasi Ghat World Heritage Site for a visit. He was accompanied, among others, by the Minister of Arts and Cultural Heritage, Mr Avinash Teeluck.
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