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| Archbishops to lead slavery walk | Archbishops to lead slavery walk |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| The Archbishops of Canterbury and York are to lead a procession through London to mark the 200th anniversary of Britain's abolition of the slave trade. | The Archbishops of Canterbury and York are to lead a procession through London to mark the 200th anniversary of Britain's abolition of the slave trade. |
| Dr Rowan Williams and Dr John Sentamu will be joined by foreign dignitaries and leaders of other churches for the Walk of Witness. | Dr Rowan Williams and Dr John Sentamu will be joined by foreign dignitaries and leaders of other churches for the Walk of Witness. |
| Dr Williams said it was a way Anglicans could try to heal "historic injustices inflicted in the name of the Church". | Dr Williams said it was a way Anglicans could try to heal "historic injustices inflicted in the name of the Church". |
| Last year the Church of England made a formal apology for its role in slavery. | Last year the Church of England made a formal apology for its role in slavery. |
| The Church held slaves on plantations in the Caribbean. | The Church held slaves on plantations in the Caribbean. |
| An amendment "recognising the damage done" to those enslaved was backed overwhelmingly by the General Synod in February 2006. | An amendment "recognising the damage done" to those enslaved was backed overwhelmingly by the General Synod in February 2006. |
| The bicentenary of the 1807 act that banned the slave trade in the British Empire falls on Sunday. | |
| 'Modern legacies' | 'Modern legacies' |
| Dr Williams writes in the walk's programme: "This important anniversary, when we recall both the shameful history of the slave trade and its modern legacies, presents us with an opportunity to open up that past to the healing power of Christ." | Dr Williams writes in the walk's programme: "This important anniversary, when we recall both the shameful history of the slave trade and its modern legacies, presents us with an opportunity to open up that past to the healing power of Christ." |
| The Church said the archbishops wanted people to reflect on the horrors of the transatlantic slave trade and use the anniversary to tackle the impact of its legacies, including "examples of human trafficking and oppression across the globe". | The Church said the archbishops wanted people to reflect on the horrors of the transatlantic slave trade and use the anniversary to tackle the impact of its legacies, including "examples of human trafficking and oppression across the globe". |
| Dr Sentamu added: "We need to rediscover a new faith-based movement for social and economic justice, which has hope - rather than anger - at its core. | |
| "I believe that movement is the Church and it is my hope that, as we commemorate the achievements of the abolitionists over the coming months, we might also re-dedicate ourselves to being that change which we want to see in the world." | |
| The walk will go from Whitehall, past the Houses of Parliament, and across Lambeth Bridge to Kennington Park, where there will be a service of commemoration. | The walk will go from Whitehall, past the Houses of Parliament, and across Lambeth Bridge to Kennington Park, where there will be a service of commemoration. |
| Yokes and chains | |
| Along the route a group who have walked 250 miles from Hull - the parliamentary seat of the abolitionist MP William Wilberforce - since the start of the month, to mark the anniversary, will have their yokes and chains removed by the Archbishop of the West Indies. | Along the route a group who have walked 250 miles from Hull - the parliamentary seat of the abolitionist MP William Wilberforce - since the start of the month, to mark the anniversary, will have their yokes and chains removed by the Archbishop of the West Indies. |
| At Lambeth Pier, the archbishops will lead prayers while holding a wreath marked 2,704 - the number of ships that left London carrying slaves during the transatlantic slave trade. | At Lambeth Pier, the archbishops will lead prayers while holding a wreath marked 2,704 - the number of ships that left London carrying slaves during the transatlantic slave trade. |
| Some 21m Africans were transported across the Atlantic by Europeans during the slave trade. | Some 21m Africans were transported across the Atlantic by Europeans during the slave trade. |
| The wreath will be transported by boat towards the docks before being taken to Westminster Abbey for Tuesday's national service to mark the bicentenary. |