UN pays tribute to Africans torn from slavery

United Nations, Mar 25 (Prensa Latina) On the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade we pay tribute to the millions of Africans who were torn from their homelands, UN Secretary-General (UNSG) Antonio Guterres said. Mr. Guterres called for standing up in solidarity against racism everywhere, since many people of African descent continue to confront racial discrimination, marginalization and exclusion.

March 25, 2022
18:33

Political, economic and structural power imbalances that were rooted in colonial rule, enslavement and exploitation, continue today to deny equality of opportunity and justice.

¨There is much that we know about the transatlantic trade in enslaved Africans and this is a day to remember such a crime against humanity: the unprecedented mass human trafficking, degrading economic transactions and unspeakable violations of human rights, Mr. Guterres said.

But, added the UN chief, there is also much that we do not know, and today is a day we learn: behind the facts and figures, he reminded that there are millions of human stories. Stories of untold suffering and pain, of families and communities ripped apart but also stories of awe-inspiring courage and defiance against the cruelty of oppressors.

“Let’s stand in solidarity, united against these inequalities,” he said. “This dark chapter should never be whitewashed”.

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