The Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) joins Guyanese across the nation and throughout the  diaspora in observing the 188th Anniversary of the Emancipation of Africans from slavery, a  defining milestone in our history that is both solemn in remembrance and inspiring in its enduring  legacy.

For generations, Africans were forcibly taken from their homeland, subjected to brutal and  inhumane conditions, and deprived of their fundamental human rights. Yet their spirit endured. In  the years that followed freedom, the formerly enslaved pooled their resources to purchase the very  plantations on which they had laboured, founding the Village Movement and establishing  communities that stand to this day. Their courage and endurance continue to inspire generations  of Guyanese.

This day, August 1st, is not only a celebration of freedom, but a call to reflect on the sacrifices,  strength and resilience of our African ancestors.