“It’s time to abolish human exploitation as soon as and for all and to recognise the equal and unconditional dignity of each particular person,” Ms. Azoulay stated.
The Day is meant to inscribe the tragedy of the slave commerce within the reminiscence of all peoples.
Particulars from Ark of Return, the everlasting memorial at UN Headquarters to acknowledge the tragedy and think about the legacy of slavery and the transatlantic slave commerce.
‘The struggle shouldn’t be over’
Echoing the targets of UNESCO’s intercultural mission The Routes of Enslaved Peoples, it ought to provide a chance for collective consideration of the historic causes, the strategies and the results of this tragedy and for an evaluation of the interactions to which it has given rise between Africa, Europe, the Americas and the Caribbean, stated the UN company, which leads the annual commemoration.
UN Deputy Secretary-Basic Amina Mohammed stated that whereas the Day honours the victims of the transatlantic slave commerce, “the struggle shouldn’t be over.”
“Trendy slavery persists,” she stated. “Let’s confront injustice, previous and current and uphold the dignity and rights of each individual.”
For its half, the UN works in the direction of these targets, together with by means of its Outreach Programme on the Transatlantic Slave Trade and Slavery, established in 2007.
Rebellion led to abolition
On the night time of twenty-two to 23 August 1791, in then Saint Domingue, now Haiti, noticed the start of the rebellion that will play an important function within the abolition of the transatlantic slave commerce.
In opposition to this background, the Worldwide Day is commemorated all over the world. It was first celebrated in quite a few international locations, together with in 1998 in Haiti and in 1999 on Gorée Island in Senegal, the place thousands and thousands of enslaved individuals had been compelled onto ships to cross the ocean.
“In the present day, allow us to bear in mind the victims and freedom fighters of the previous in order that they could encourage future generations to construct simply societies,” UNESCO’s Ms. Azoulay stated.
