In honour of those who were brought to our shores as Indentured Labourers: men and women whose dreams were shattered by hardship, but persevered with strength and courage.
I pay my tribute to Anna de Bengal, among the first women to have been forcefully brought; others like Anjalay Coopen, for their resistance and resilience in the fight for human dignity.
I also pay my respect to the legacy of leaders such as Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam, Sir Abdul Razack Mohamed, and all those who dedicated their lives to building a free and united Mauritius.
We must continue to revisit our history, acknowledge past injustices, and draw lessons from the courage,sacrifice and resilience of our ancestors to move forward.
Their legacy is our unity in diversity and our shared identity as Mauritians.
We must continue to honour their memory by strengthening what they taught us- as One People, as One Nation, in Peace, Justice and Liberty.