Between the sixteenth and nineteenth centuries, around 27 million Africans were captured from their homes. Forced into ships and transported across the Atlantic, only 7.4 million made it to their destination.
Those who did were enslaved: objectified, exploited, abused, the fruit of their labour given greater value than their lives.
This is what enslavement is all about: denying certain people their dignity and fundamental rights, refusing to consider them as human. And, although the slave trade has officially been abolished, its pernicious legacy lives on today, perpetuating discrimination, social exclusion and inequalities worldwide.
To break the silence surrounding the history of enslavement and address its enduring consequences, UNESCO commemorates the International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition every year.
Taking place on 23 August, this day honours the enslaved men and women in Saint-Domingue, present-day Haiti, who rose up to claim their freedom in 1791, ultimately founding the first independent Black nation in 1804.
Indeed, remembering and understanding these traumatic events are the first steps towards healing the deep wounds they have caused. This is the conviction that drives the UNESCO Routes of Enslaved Peoples project, which will celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2024.
For nearly three decades, this project has carried out research to understand the contemporary legacy of enslavement and the slave trade, such as racism and discrimination. And, working with communities, it has taken steps to revitalize places of history and memory to support dialogue within the African Diaspora, and beyond.
In this way, the project has highlighted the contributions made by enslaved peoples and their descendants to contemporary societies across the globe. This not only means preserving and promoting cultural practices such as jazz, tango, the Maroon heritage and the Garifuna language. It also includes telling the history of the African continent from an African perspective, through our General History of Africa. The content of this ambitious corpus is now being integrated into curricula and teacher training in Africa and worldwide.
UNESCO also works to address the legacy of enslavement by fighting all forms of racism and discrimination. For example, our Global Forum against Racism and Discrimination gives Member States the opportunity to make ambitious commitments to inclusiveness and equality. Our International Coalition of Inclusive and Sustainable Cities supports local authorities in implementing anti-discriminatory actions, facilitating the exchange of best practices.
Finally, UNESCO is taking steps to tackle racial biases that have emerged in the digital era. The Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence seeks to ensure that this technology respects and promotes human rights and dignity, guiding Member States to develop appropriate legislation in this domain.
So, on this International Day, let us pay tribute to the victims of the slave trade and the freedom fighters by renewing our collective commitment to eradicating all forms of racism and discrimination. In the words of the American sociologist and civil rights activist W.E.B Du Bois: “Now is the accepted time, not tomorrow, not some more convenient season.”
By Audrey Azoulay, Director-General UNESCO