Abolition of Slavery
Unimaginable as it seems, slavery and bonded labour still persists today. Although the slave trade was officially banned in the early 1800s, the last 50 years have seen a resurgence of slavery due to changes in the world’s economy and societies. Factors such as population growth (particularly in the developing world), rapid social and economic change, as well as corruption have all made their mark.
Wilberforce 2007 will see the city of Hull commemorate with 34 weeks of events and activities focusing on slavery and emancipation. Wilberforce 2007 will plug into today’s movements for social justice, and begin the celebrations with a fair trade fortnight in March 2007, with events running through to Black History Month in October 2007.
The Wilberforce 2007 programme is not just about history and Hull, but about connecting with projects and partners to put the abolition into a modern context.
The programme for 2007 is being developed under the guidance of a number of the Council’s partners including representatives from the media, businesses, academics and faith groups. Their stated objectives are to commemorate 2007 in a contemporary, relevant and modern way, promote cultural and economic freedom, human rights and fair-trade, raise awareness of contemporary slavery and human rights issues and to celebrate diversity.
