The Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and the Venezuelan Institute of Culture and Cooperation Hugo Chávez Frías in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, in the framework of the commemoration of the Day of the Abolition of Slavery in Venezuela (March 24th, 1854), held the discussion “Tribute to Venezuelan Heroes and Heroines”.
The purpose of the activity was to let the Vincentian students know the importance of the legacy of some of our heroines for the history of our country and the Caribbean.
“Young people must know the history of our countries, especially the Caribbean. If we know our history, we can know where we come from, we can defend our homeland and love it, “head of the Venezuelan diplomatic mission, Francisco Manuel Pérez Santana said.
In this regard, Pérez made a dissertation in relation to the validity of the Bolivarian ideology regarding the struggle for the rights of slaves brought by the colonizers to Venezuelan and Caribbean territory during the seventeenth century.
“The countries of our America have a deep colonizing heritage, however our peoples have been led by men and women like José Leonardo Chirinos, GerónimoGuacamaya, Pedro Camejo, José Tomás León, among others who maintained the strength and fighting spirit to achieve the liberation of the slaves and initiated the emancipatory process of our men and women, “Pérez said.
In turn, the Academic Coordinator of the IVCC, Prof. Andreína Bermúdez Di Lorenzo made some reflections on the historical milestones of slavery in Venezuela.
She pointed out that the Liberator Simón Bolívar initiated a campaign in favor of the abolition of slavery in 1816, but it did not happen until 38 years after the event, on March 24th, 1854, 161 years ago, by the then president of the Republic, José Gregorio Monagas.
«Bolívar signed the execution of the decree that at that time gave a conditioned freedom to 40 thousand slaves who were in Venezuela», Bermúdez said.
In the discussionTribute to Venezuelan heroes and heroines, Pérez Santana said that one of the elements that influenced Bolívar to defend the processes of freedom in our countries is that he had two extraordinary women in his life, Negra Hipólita and Negra Matea.
Two slaves who came from slave families brought from Africa, they played an important role in his development and in the feelings and character of our Liberator Simón Bolívar.
Among the pedagogical strategies developed in the discussion, the students had read aloud sessions referring to the lives of some of the Venezuelan heroines, including: Negra Matea and Negra Hipólita.
As a closing element of the activity, the students enjoyed four videos with English subtitles that reflect part of the legacy and struggle of our liberators and our Venezuelan heroes and heroines, among which: How Haiti helped to free the slaves of South America, Bolívar and Petión, Hipólita and Matea and Heroines of Venezuela are highlighted.
Teachers and fifth form students of the Adelphi High School on the island appreciated the opportunity to continue learning about some aspects of the Caribbean, in this particular case, about the Venezuelan heroes and heroines that contributed to the abolition of slavery.
The Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela reiterates its commitment to consolidate the bonds of friendship between Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.
