On the 10th of September 2024, the Embassy of Japan in Mauritius and the Intercontinental Slavery Museum (ISM) took part in the Handover Ceremony of a lift at the Museum in Port- Louis.
The ceremony was attended by Hon. Avinash Teeluck, the Minister of Arts and Cultural Heritage, H.E. KAN Masahiro, Ambassador of Japan to Mauritius, Mr. Jean Maxy Simonet, Chairperson of the ISM, staff from the ISM and the Embassy of Japan, as well as relevant stakeholders. This project was funded through Japan’s official development assistance programme, Grant Assistance for Cultural Grassroots Projects (GCGP), and marked the first initiative implemented under this scheme in Mauritius.
The Grant has been allocated to the ISM for “The Project for Improvement in Accessibility of People with Disabilities and Elderly at the Intercontinental Slavery Museum”, which was in the sum of 48,505 EUR (approximately 2.3 million MUR). In his speech, Ambassador KAN stated that the Grant Assistance will add value to the existing efforts being made by the Government of Mauritius in creating an inclusive environment for the elderly and people with disabilities.
The project aims at increasing accessibility at the Museum, as there were only narrow and steep staircases in the three-storey building, which was constructed in 1740 and remains an important heritage site of the history of slavery.
With the acquisition of this new equipment, a lift manufactured by Japanese brand Mitsubishi Elevator, the Museum will be able to:
① provide improved accessibility at the Museum to all visitors, especially the elderly and people with disabilities;
② enhance the opportunities for the public to explore, study, share and transmit the histories of slavery in the Indian Ocean Region.
The GCGP is a financial assistance which forms part of the Official Development Assistance (ODA) offered by the Government of Japan. It provides financial assistance to promote sports, culture, and higher education, as well as support for the improvement of facilities and the purchasing of equipment to be used in the conservation of cultural heritage.
