March 25, a 201st anniversary of the abolition of slavery...

The transatlantic slave trade stands as one of the most inhuman enterprises in history. Over 12 million people were transported. Some two million died.
Thankfully, on 25 March 1807, Britain became one of the first countries to abolish the slave trade. The bicentenary of that event offers us a chance not just to say how profoundly shameful the slave trade was – how we condemn its existence utterly and praise those who fought for its abolition – but also to express our deep sorrow that it ever happened and to rejoice at the different and better times we live in today...

From "A message from the Prime Minister" then Tony Blair in the foreword to "Bicentenary of the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act 1807-2007" (322014.pdf)  © Crown Copyright 2007. Copyright in the contents, the cover, the design and the typographical arrangement rests with the crown.