Commemoration of the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade

Ambassador Ehouzou,
Mr. President of the Human Rights Council,
Excellencies,
Distinguished Speakers,
Distinguished Guests:

I am very pleased to be with you today, to mark the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade. The Director-General regrets that he cannot be here today. It is my privilege to make the following remarks on his behalf.

One of the great strengths of humanity is the power to remember, reflect, learn and improve. Yet, the multiple influences of every-day life compete for our attention and leave little time for these processes. This is why the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade is so important.

Established in 2007, this annual commemoration helps us to connect the dots between the past and present. In the words of the Secretary-General’s message for this year’s international day [quote] “every year on this day, the United Nations honours the memory of millions of Africans forcibly removed from their families and homelands over hundreds of years.” [end of quote] Not only does it serve to remember this haunting period of human history, but also to highlight the unfortunate reality of modern forms of slavery.

Contemporary forms of slavery often affect the most vulnerable. According to ILO’s data from 2012, 5.5 million of the 20.9 million of persons in forced labour are children.

And in the face of the current refugee and migration crisis, UNICEF and other agencies have repeatedly warned that migrant children and women, especially those migrating without documentation, are vulnerable to trafficking, abuse and exploitation. Let us take this day to honour the victims of slavery and the transatlantic slave trade by renewing our firm determination to fight slavery in all its forms.

To do so, the root causes of slavery such as poverty, social exclusion and all forms of discrimination must be addressed, especially at a time when extremist views and racism are on the rise. This can only happen through a human rights based approach. Slavery triggered a whole new stream of humanist thinking that contributed to the emergence of today’s human rights framework. It is therefore very fitting, to hold this commemoration at the sidelines of the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

I mentioned human’s ability to remember, reflect, learn and improve. Another great strength is the ability to preserve ones identity under the harshest conditions, and to garner the strength to create new, beautiful forms of cultural expression and heritage. This is highlighted by the theme of this year’s commemoration which is: “Remember Slavery: Celebrating the Heritage and Culture of the African Diaspora and its Roots.” It is also expressed in the Secretary-General’s message which underscores that [quote] “the dynamic culture and traditions of Africa continue to enrich life in the countries that were once involved in the Transatlanic slave trade.”[end quote]

In line with this year’s theme of the observance, the Palais des Nations as a symbol of multilateral heritage offers us the perfect environment to come together to remember and celebrate the manifold expressions of the cultures and heritage of the African Diaspora and its Roots. As history shows, culture as a source of energy and vision can liberate important forces to fight slavery. This is why I believe that this year’s theme is a good response to the urgent and continuing need to overcome slavery in all its forms. I thank all those involved, in particular the delegation of the African Union, in making this commemoration happen.

Thank you very much for your attention.