Napoleon Bicentenary 1821-2021 Vision and next steps

Earlier this year the Napoleonic Bicentenary Vision Group was established and tasked with creating a vision for how St Helena will mark the bicentenary commemorating the 200th anniversary of French Emperor Napoleon’s death on 5 May 2021.  The group looked beyond 2021 to capitalise on the Napoleonic legacy in terms of education and tourism/economic development.

The work undertaken by the Group, supported and informed by the organisations and community members consulted, has articulated the following vision which the whole Island can support:

Engaging the Napoleonic Heritage on St Helena through Arts and Crafts, Song and Dance, Literature and Drama, Walks and Re-enactments to create a lasting legacy for posterity and the benefit of the Island as a whole.

This vision, contained in a report from the Group, has been accepted and endorsed by Enterprise St Helena (ESH) and St Helena Government and has been presented to the Economic Development Committee.

Chairman of the Vision Group, Councillor Lawson Henry said:

It was an honour for me to have been asked to chair the Vision Group and to have worked with such talented people.  They had a real vision as to how we can capitalise on the Napoleonic history of St Helena to our advantage.” 

ESH is now in the process of recruiting a Project Manager to co-ordinate and oversee the development of a detailed operational plan to implement the Vision. A steering group is being initiated to support the Project Manager with putting the plan into action.

Chief Executive for Economic Development, Dr Dawn Cranswick, concluded:

“The Vision Group successfully created an ambitious headline programme of activities and events setting out how St Helena will commemorate this globally important anniversary. The Project Manager, with guidance and support from Steering Group members, will have a unique opportunity to spearhead the process of turning the Vision into reality, for the benefit of St Helena as a whole.”

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 SHG

10 July 2019

St Helena Government Communications Hub

Telephone: 22470
Email: kimberley.peters@sainthelena.gov.sh