Thursday as part of the 213th anniversary of the death of Toussaint Louverture, Lesly Condé, the Consul General of Haiti in Chicago recalled in his message for the occasion, that this day of remembrance was "[...] An opportunity to meditate on the importance of the passage in this land of this man who deserved to be called 'The First of the Blacks'

Toussaint Louverture is a symbol of bravery and integrity. Although his heritage belongs to the world, it is primarily ours. We are the deep and numerous roots to which he was referring to the dark time of his abduction. If nothing can prevent us from being proud of Toussaint, we also need to honor his memory by practicing like him, self-love and solidarity.

At a time when our country is facing the challenges of the twenty-first century while remaining on the road to democracy, we must, like Toussaint Louverture, be guided by the wisdom, patience and determination."

IH/ iciHaiti