00:00May the ashe of this land take root for this Emancipation Pan-African Festival.
00:09This year, the opening of the Lijiasu Omowale Emancipation Village was done in front of the village before those present
00:16ventured in.
00:17Executive Chair of the Emancipation Support Committee, Zakia Wadada, in thanking all stakeholders who commit to making the village a
00:25success, signals the importance of support.
00:28But she is taking the moment to push resilience.
00:32Because the journey is such a challenging one.
00:36But my new mantra for this season is that pressure builds diamonds.
00:43So every piece of pressure that we feel, I said the diamond is curing.
00:48So we all have to stay strong and stand together and help us create the beautiful diamond of the full
00:55liberation of our people.
00:57Wadada pledges the ESC's support for countries in the region which are facing their own struggles, such as Venezuela and
01:05Cuba.
01:06Port of Spain Mayor Chinua Allen says continuing to dismantle the agenda set by colonials is something that he is
01:13keen on.
01:14From his perspective, it is not in a bid to rewrite history.
01:18I don't view it that way.
01:21I view it as an attempt in some instances of removing colonial graffiti that we have all over, not just
01:30the city of Port of Spain, but all over Trinidad and Tobago.
01:33Minister of Culture and Community Development Michel Benjamin states that the ESC, which has been charged with preserving the African
01:41heritage of the country,
01:42creates a space for education, reflection and healing through the village.
01:48We are reminded that emancipation was never simply the breaking of physical chains.
01:54It was the awakening of the human spirit.
01:57It was the affirmation of dignity and the enduring pursuit of justice, equality and opportunity for all.
02:07And as people from across the nation gather there in the coming days, it is hoped that knowledge will be
02:13celebrated,
02:14identity will be embraced and that the young people will find a place where they can ground themselves in their
02:21history.
02:21Events to be held over the next full week include Family Days, a Youth Day and the Rhythm and Voices
02:28of Africa.
02:29Alicia Boucher, TV6 News.
02:32This video is brought intoρ unequivote.
02:32Thanks for tuning in,切 your thoughts for announcing the trail.
02:33Peace.
02:33I'm sure.
02:34Peace.
02:34All right.
02:35Peace.
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