Dear Friends,
May Day Greetings to you all. We trust you are all safe and well.
International Labour Day, also known as International Workers’ Day, or simply May Day, is a day when the world is invited to remember the hard working and living conditions of workers, not only during the industrial revolution but also, for most workers, in today’s world as well, despite the fact that they form the bedrock of the economy and of society.
Here is a fascinating article chronicling the history of May Day. www.history.com
This year, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, May Day is being celebrated without the usual colourful and lively parades. We at TrustAfrica know very well and have said it in our most recent initiatives aimed at fighting the pandemic – workers and poor communities are among the hardest hit by the pandemic. They are also among the least well-catered for in the dominant responses to the pandemic. Which is why we are drawing the attention of the world to the workers, peasants and vulnerable communities in the cities, ‘banlieues’, townships, and favelas, as well as in the hinterlands; the racial minorities, and communities who, even before the pandemic, were already suffering from discrimination based on descent and work; the migrants, refugees and displaced populations in Africa and elsewhere, and all the other vulnerable groups.
As we say in the #CommunityImmunity initiative that we are about to officially launch in collaboration with Southern Africa Trust and the African Philanthropy Network, we are safe only when everybody is safe. The Covid–19 pandemic has made the importance of making what is intended to be the guiding principle of the Sustainable Development Goals, ‘leaving nobody behind’ more than just a slogan.
So, as we think about the working people, let us renew our commitment and strengthen our resolve to bring the Covid-19 pandemic under control, and do so in ways that advance the struggle for the transformation and development of Africa and speed up the transition to a better, more inclusive and just world.
Happy May Day to you all!
Dr Ebrima Sall
Executive Director