St. Barthélemy ceremony honours people enslaved under Swedish rule

St. Barthélemy held a commemoration on Friday 9 October for the 1847 abolition of slavery under Swedish rule. At Fort Gustav III in Gustavia, Territorial Council President Xavier Lédée laid a wreath beneath a fromager, or kapok, tree used as a setting for the remembrance.

Lédée said the history of slavery should be passed to younger generations. He thanked students from the schools of Colombier, Gustavia and Lorient, who contributed songs, poetry and artwork. Joris Eberhardt, the prefect’s representative in St. Barthélemy, also spoke about recognising and passing on the territory’s history. Francius Matignon, vice-president of the Territorial Council, attended the ceremony.