Members of the public are invited to step back in time and take a tour of the Freedom Schooner Amistad, which will be docked in St. George's at the weekend.

Education Minister Terry Lister told the House of Assembly yesterday that it was important for young people to have a picture of what life must have been like for many of our ancestors.

Mr. Lister said knowledge was power and a visit on board the Amistad, which is a replica of the 17th Century cargo/slave ship, La Amistad, would help the youth develop a deeper appreciation for those "on whose shoulders we stand".

Amistad and another slave ship, Enterprise, have similar parallels.

Enterprise encountered bad weather at sea and pulled into Bermuda in February, 1835 to re-stock.

One of the newly organised Friendly Societies learned that there were slaves on board and obtained a writ of Habeas Corpus for their release.

Mr. Lister said when questioned by the judge as to their wishes, most of the slaves asked to remain in Bermuda and were granted their wish by the Sessions House in Bermuda.

"A bold and historic move, if ever there was one," he said.

He said even though centuries had passed, stories of both ships and their passage still resonates because they are stories about people struggling for justice and equality and the preservation of their human rights.

"That is one reason why the Ministry of Education and Development is proud to have worked with the Department of Tourism in order to make the Amistad's visit a reality," he said.

He said it was a wonderful learning experience for children and adults alike and the visit of Amistad to Bermuda also serves to celebrate Bermuda's rich sea-faring past.

"The artistry, skills and boldness of Bermudian shipwrights and sailors are legendary, particularly throughout the Caribbean. After all, who else would have thought of building what the world considers to be relatively small boats out of our native cedar and then sailing those boats for hundreds of miles just to collect ambergris, or to rake salt," he said.

But more importantly, he said, he hoped the visit of the Freedom Schooner Amistad would serve as a reminder to everyone about our history.

"The ship's visit reminds us of the freedoms won through the struggles of the past and should make us all the more resolute as we face the challenges of the future," he said.

Since the Amistad arrived in Bermuda on May 9, the public has been able to enjoy a number of activities associated with the visit, including lectures, art displays and forums on race relations, all hosted by the Commission for Unity and Race Equality (CURE).

Mr. Lister said teachers had the opportunity to attend lectures conducted by the staff of the Amistad America organisation and also had their turn on a "teacher sail" experience.

Spice Valley Middle School students also participated in a "student sail" recently.