When addressing the General Assembly, Secretary General António Guterres warned that systemic racism, economic exclusion and racial violence continue to deny people of African descent the opportunity to prosper.
He called the governments to recognize the truth and finally honor the legacy of trade taking measures.
“For too long, crimes of transatlantic slaves, and their continuous impact, have remained unrecognized, without speaking and without being addressed“He said, denouncing the erase of history, the rewriting of the narratives and the dismissal of the intrinsic damage of slavery.
“The obscene profits derived from the slavery of Chattel and the racist ideologies that supported the trade are still with us“He added.
Four centuries of abuse
For more than four centuries, it is estimated that 25 to 30 million Africans, almost a third of the population of the continent at that time, were taken by force from their homelands. Many did not survive the brutal trip through the Atlantic.
Exploitation and suffering, destroyed families, ten -decimated entire communities and generations condemned to slavery) was promoted by greed and sustained by racist ideologies, which remain today.
Honoring and remembering those who suffered, the UN in 2007 designated on March 25 as the International Day of the Memory of Victims of Slavery and Transatlantic Slave Trade.
The date marks the approval of the abolition of the slave trade law in the United Kingdom in 1807, three years after the Haitian revolution.
The release of French domain led to the establishment of the Republic of Haiti, the first country to obtain independence based on the actions of enslaved men and women.
Forced to pay for your freedom
Even after slavery was abolished, said the UN Chief, his victims were not compensated and, in many cases, the previously enslaved people were forced to pay for their freedom.
Haiti, for example, had to make mass payments to those who benefited from their suffering, a financial burden that put the young nation on a path of lasting economic difficulties.
“Today is not just a day of memory. It is also a day to reflect on the durable legacies of slavery and colonialism and to strengthen our resolution to combat those evils today,” Guterres said.
The UN Secretary General, António Guterres, addresses the General Assembly meeting to commemorate the International Memory Day.
Resolve
Mr. Guterres urged governments, companies and civil society to take decisive measures against racism and discrimination, urging nations to completely implement the international convention on the elimination of all forms of racial discrimination and to fulfill their human rights obligations.
“Recognizing this truth is not only necessary: it is vital to address past errors, heal the present and build a future of dignity and justice for all“He said.
Spots not easily erased
The president of the General Assembly, Philémon Yang, echoed the concerns of the Secretary General, stating that, although slavery was formally abolished, his legacy persists in the racial inequalities that cover generations.
“The spots of injustice are not easily erased“He said, pointing out continuous disparities in housing, employment, health, education and criminal justice systems.
He stressed that addressing these injustices requires not only recognition, but also the specific policy changes that ensure equity and inclusion.
Mr. Yang also stressed the importance of education to face these painful legacies. Asked for a global effort to integrate integral stories of slavery and its consequences in school curriculaEmphasizing that an informed society is better equipped to challenge prejudices and foster empathy.
THE RETURN ARCA
This year’s commemoration also marked the tenth anniversary of the return ark, the permanent monument at the UN Headquarters in New York to honor the victims of slavery and the trade of transatlantic slaves, located at the UN headquarters in New York.
Solemnly in the context of the East River, the Ark back greets world leaders, government officials and the public when entering the UN headquarters, a monument of white framework to the resistance and resistance of those who suffered the horrors of slavery.
Designed by the Haitian-American architect Rodney Leon, also educates future generations about the continuous danger of racism and exclusion.
Click here to read UN news’ Interview with Mr. Leon
A living monument to memory and justice
Laureado Nobel Wole Soyinka (Literature, 1986) also addresses the commemoration in New York, after having presented his respects in the Ark of the return.
Recognizing the importance of the monument and its prominence at the UN Headquarters, Mr. Soyinka urged world leaders to go further transforming static monuments into living spaces, evolving that they not only honor the past but also drive humanity to justice.
“It is impossible to quantify repairs for such global atrocity“He said, emphasizing the power of symbolism.
He proposed another expression of memory called “Patrimonial Trip of Return”, which would track the paths of transatlantic ships, stopping in the historical ports of slavery along the coast of Western Africa and beyond.
This trip, he suggested, could serve as an exhibition of housing: housing of repatriated African artifacts, organizing cultural exhibitions and creating spaces for education, dialogue and artistic expression.
Wole Soyinka, playwright, poet and the laureate Nobel, offers an opening speech to the commemorative meeting of the General Assembly to commemorate the International Day of Memory.
Turn the tide, turn the phrase
Salome Agbaroji, a young poet of the United States, also spoke in commemoration, urging people of African descent to tell their “complete and true” stories.
“Turn the course, turn the phrase to recover our personality and our narratives … its value goes far beyond the human work it provides, but lies in the vitality of its culture and innovations.“She said.
Echoing the emphasis of the general secretary general António Guterres in the need to recognize horrors or slavery and dissipate false narratives, requested greater support for educational programs to inform and empower young people.