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Produced by Amgueddfa Cymru - National Museum Wales, the toolkit has been created out of a multi-faceted project run by the National Waterfront Museum called Everywhere in Chains - Wales and Enslavement. This project commemorated the bicentenary of the Slave Trade Abolition Act in 2007.

The free electronic resource has been designed to help people understand Wales’ role in the transatlantic slave trade. It aims to encourage individuals, groups and organisations to examine the history of the trade, including its modern legacies, through museum collections. It also offers ideas, activities and workshops for setting up community projects that delve into topics such as black history and Welsh heritage.

Partnership working has been at the very heart of this project. Since it began in 2007, the Museum has worked closely with a variety of community groups and organisations to fully reflect the historical and contemporary perspectives on this major element of world history.

To officially mark this work, a special launch event took place on Saturday, 28 November for all participants, contributors and members of the public. The event created an opportunity for people to have a go at the toolkit as well as enjoy a selection of African drumming, costume and dance plus pottery and felt making.

The Heritage Minister Alun Ffred Jones said: "I welcome the launch of the Everywhere in Chains toolkit, as it is important that we continue to find effective ways of raising awareness of the transatlantic slave trade, following on from the exhibition marking 200 years since the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act was passed. This toolkit represents a lasting legacy for heritage organisations in how to interpret sensitively one of the darkest eras of our history and I would like to congratulate all those involved in this project."

Speaking about the launch, Project Leader and Community Learning Officer at the National Waterfront Museum, Sue James said: “We’re delighted to be able to officially launch the toolkit. It is a culmination of lots of hard work by lots of different people including project participants and partners."

Steph Mastoris, Head of the National Waterfront Museum said: “We’re delighted to have the opportunity to thank everyone who has contributed to this project. It is another great example of how working in partnership can create such a valuable resource.”

Speaking about the toolkit, Director General, Amgueddfa Cymru - National Museum Wales, Mike Houlian said: “During this project a range of skills and knowledge have been shared between museums across Wales as well as a wide variety of groups and individuals from the community. Perhaps most important for us was the strong commitment by Amgueddfa Cymru staff to creating a programme that could work with the widest possible audience in the exploration of this compelling topic. We engaged with many people from different cultural backgrounds, some of whom had never been to a museum before, and this engagement was fundamental to the project. I am sure the toolkit will inspire new work in the areas of heritage and community identity.”

ENDS

Notes to editor

For more information, please contact Marie Szymonski, Marketing Communications Officer on (01792) 638970.

Admission to Amgueddfa Cymru - National Museum Wales sites is free thanks to the support of the Welsh Assembly Government.

Amgueddfa Cymru operates seven national museums across Wales. These are National Museum Cardiff, St Fagans: National History Museum, the National Roman Legion Museum, Caerleon, Big Pit: National Coal Museum, Blaenafon, the National Wool Museum, Dre-fach Felindre, the National Slate Museum, Llanberis and the National Waterfront Museum, Swansea.