The Intercontinental Slavery Museum (ISM), which is geared towards ensuring the cultural preservation and the scientific study of the phenomenon of slavery and slave trade in the Indian Ocean, has launched an informative website this year and is accessible on the link: https://ismmauritiusltd.govmu.org/
The website, designed and hosted by the Government Online Centre, features the history of the setting up of the ISM and the following segments: News and Events; History of the Military Hospital; Affiliation; Publications; and Exhibitions. ISM’s website also provides content related to ‘Museum Development’ and the ‘Eight Guiding Principles of the Intercontinental Slavery Museum’ among others.
It is recalled that the ISM is one of the major recommendations of the Truth and Justice Commission of Mauritius, which in 2009 set up public platforms to investigate the legacy of slavery and indentured labour from colonial days to the present.
In 2016, the Government agreed to the setting up of an Intercontinental Slavery Museum at the Ex-Labourdonnais Military Hospital in Port Louis which is among one of the oldest buildings in the country and is highly significant in the history of slavery.
ISM Mauritius Ltd was then set up as a Special Purpose Vehicle on 20 January 2020 and was incorporated as a Government owned company for the implementation of the Intercontinental Slavery Museum Project.
The ISM aims to promote cultural exchanges and a culture of peace and union among peoples of several continents; encourage curricular development, scientific research, and produce educational and pedagogical materials; study slavery and the slave trade in the Indian Ocean; create and preserve a catalogue of artefacts related to slavery; host a permanent exhibition; and organise regular travelling exhibitions.
