The official ceremony to commemorate the 189th anniversary of the arrival of the indentured labourers was preceded by a wreath-laying ceremony on the platform where they first set foot on Mauritian soil. Several personalities, including the Prime Minister and the guest of honour at this event, India’s Minister of State for External and Parliamentary Affairs, Vellamvelly Muraleedharan, completed this symbolic gesture.
In his speech, Pravind Jugnauth spoke of the hardships and sacrifices of the workers involved in building the Mauritian nation. He maintained that the region surrounding the site of the Aapravasi Ghat is being transformed into a historic site where the world will be able to discover certain difficult periods in our country’s history.
The commemorative event was organised by the Ministry of Arts and Cultural Heritage, in collaboration with the Aapravasi Ghat Trust Fund. It comprised a wreath-laying ceremony by the Prime Minster, the Special Representative from India and other dignitaries; the launching of joint postal stamps and souvenir sheets marking the 75th Anniversary of India-Mauritius diplomatic relations; cultural and artistic items highlighting the historical legacy of the Indentured Labourers; and the launching of the annual Aapravasi Ghat Trust Fund magazine.
In his speech, Prime Minister Jugnauth recalled the arrival of the first 36 Indentured Workers who set foot on Mauritian soil, 189 years ago, following their journey on board the M.V. Atlas from India, and held to be the precursors and trail blazers of almost half a million Indentured Labourers who subsequently travelled to Mauritius. He put forward the contribution of the Indentured Labourers and their descendants in making of a small Indian Ocean island a peaceful multi-ethnic democratic country while they endured hard time, with courage and resilience, and without relinquishing their culture and traditions.
For his part, the Minister of State for External Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs of India stated that the organised movement of nearly half a million of Indian Indentured Labourers had shaped the vibrant cultural Mauritius and laid the foundation of closed ties and kinship between India and Mauritius. “Mauritius’s success story is in itself a shining testament to the triumph of hope over fear, faith over despair, human spirit over external circumstances,” he affirmed.
As he saluted and paid homage to the first men and women who climbed the flights of 16 steps at the Aapravasi Ghat 189 years ago, Shri V. Muraleedharan prayed that their hard work, resilience and sacrifice continued to inspire others to reach higher and do better. “The Indentured Labourers are the truest testimony to the indomitable power of human will,” he said.
Regarding the ties between Mauritius and India, the Special Representative spoke of the privilege that his visit to Mauritius coincided with the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two nations. He was of the view that the bilateral relations had grown from strength to strength in several sectors namely development partnership, maritime security cooperation, capacity building and collaboration in international fora. “We stand shoulder to shoulder, supporting each other at all times,” he asserted.
