Bordeaux, Saturday, May 10, 2008

As the great-great-granddaughter of slaves, I have come here, at the invitation of the Mayor of Bordeaux, to this former slave port, to pay tribute to the memory of the millions of Africans deported to the Americas where, with complete disregard for humanity, they were reduced to slavery.

As the governor general of Canada, I have come to ensure that their memory—as much their suffering as their freedom—is not lost in the expanse of time and to proclaim for all to hear that human beings are not defined by the labels they are forced to wear.

As a Black woman from the Americas, I urge you to listen to all those who, today and everywhere, are committed to loosening the grip of prejudice and breaking the chains of injustice and tyranny. For this is one of the surest ways to remember one of the most barbaric crimes against humanity.

As a mother and a citizen, I invite you to remain ever vigilant in the face of the slightest sign of intolerance and to use every means possible to counter the lack of understanding by some that too often leads to the exclusion of others.

As someone who, like so many, mourns the loss of Aimé Césaire, I say with him and for us all that we are here, the descendants of slaves, in every corner of the world, in every profession, in every walk of life, [translation] “standing tall beneath the stars, standing tall and free.”

And together, on this solemn day, let us at last promise to do everything in our power to ensure that henceforth and everywhere, the forces of creation and fellowship triumph over the forces of destruction and hate.