African Heritage Month Honours the Past, Present and Future

The province recognized and celebrated February as African Heritage Month with a launch at Province House by Lt.-Gov. J.J. Grant and African Nova Scotian Affairs Minister Tony Ince, today, Jan. 24.

"Our current generation of African Nova Scotians are standing on the shoulders of their distinguished predecessors and they have been passed the torch," said Lt.-Gov. Grant. "They are our future and we have faith that they will carry this responsibility proudly."

This year's theme, Passing the Torch - African Nova Scotians and the Next 150 Years, recognizes the rich history of African Nova Scotians and celebrates their resiliency and triumphs in the face of adversity. The theme also looks to the next 150 years and highlights the bright path forward.

"We have extraordinary opportunities right now," said Mr. Ince. "The International Decade for People of African Descent (2015-2024) and Canada's 150th birthday inspire us to look to the future. They remind us that our efforts need to involve more young people and we, all Nova Scotians, have to take an honest look at the realities we are passing to the next generation."

The province has more than 50 historic black communities and each year Nova Scotians celebrate and invite others to join in and learn more about the history, heritage and contributions of African Nova Scotians.

To learn more about African Heritage Month and the events taking place throughout the province, visit www.ansa.novascotia.ca .

Nova Scotians can also keep up to date on African Heritage Month events through Facebook, @AfricanNSAffairs and on Twitter, @OfficeofANSA.