Strasbourg, 24/10/2008 (Agence Europe) - Madeleine Jouye de Grandmaison, a member of the Martinique communist party, has submitted a written declaration on the commemoration of abolition of the black slave trade and of slavery. During a press conference in Strasbourg on Tuesday 21 October, she justified her action by saying all populations that survived the slave trade and slavery from which they stem need to acquire a collective memory of that time. She also states that this work of recollection or recognition of a historical fact can contribute to cohesion of European society, which is very largely concerned since the transatlantic slave trade alone concerned over 11 million individuals, the main actors and beneficiaries being Portugal, England, France, the Netherlands and Spain (by order of importance). Madeleine Jouye de Grandmaison calls on Parliament to suggest that Council adopt a recommendation on the recognition of the black slave trade and of slavery as a crime against humanity and to make 2 December the European Day for commemoration of the abolition of slavery. The member states would be invited to establish historic places of interest in memory of slavery. In addition to the ports and trading houses and banks involved in the triangular trade, mainly African slaves were also “imported” to Europe, mainly to Italy, Spain and Portugal. If this text receives the signature of half of the members of the Assembly, it will become a European Parliament resolution. (O.J./transl.jl)