Teach slavery in schools alongside Holocaust, urges Prince Charles
In a speech to the heads of Commonwealth government in Kigali, the heir to the throne called slavery the “most painful period of our history”.
Prince Charles wants to see slavery taught as part of the national curriculum in schools alongside the Holocaust.
In a speech to the heads of Commonwealth government in Kigali, the heir to the throne called slavery the “most painful period of our history”, adding”. He added: “I cannot describe the depths of my personal sorrow at the suffering of so many, as I continue to deepen my own understanding of slavery’s enduring impact”.
A royal source told the Sunday Times that the prince is consulting “world leaders and lots of different people” on the subject of Britain’s slavery crimes, which he wants to make an educational priority. The source added: “He is patron of the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust and he notes that in the UK, we now know and learn at school all about the Holocaust, so it is something that is acknowledged and learnt at a national level. That is not true of the transatlantic slave trade, and maybe that is something that should be.”
Between 1662 and 1807, Britain, with royal consent, sold an estimated 3,415,500 Africans into slavery. Around half a million did not survive the ‘middle passage’ transatlantic journey to the Americas. The trade was the largest forced migration in human history and scars Africa, the Americas and Europe to this day.
Charles, who spoke of his “personal sorrow” at the UK’s historical links with the slave trade during his visit to Rwanda last week, will campaign for greater public awareness of slavery, which has dogged the royal family’s recent overseas tours.
The source told the newspaper that the prince was “not dictating education policy” but acknowledging “that it needs to happen. So, just like the Holocaust Memorial Day, is there some way of doing that? Having a moment, having a way of remembering that?”
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
