More than 15 million men, women and children from Africa were enslaved - UN chief
- Those who perished under the shameful Transatlantic slave trade were honoured at the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
- It has been revealed that more than 15 million Africans suffered the Transatlantic slave trade
- The Day of Remembrance which comes up every year on March 25, offers the opportunity to honour and remember those who suffered and died at the hands of the brutal slavery system
UN secretary-general, António Guterres, has said more than 15 million Africans suffered the brutalities of the Transatlantic slave trade, calling for respect for the dignity of every human being.
Guterres stated this while honouring those who suffered the shameful Transatlantic slave trade to commemorate the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade, NAN reports.
Legit.ng notes that the UN chief said the Day, set aside to remember the “epically shameful” chapter of human history, was an opportunity to raise awareness about the dangers of racism and prejudice.
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“More than 15 million men, women and children from Africa were enslaved," Guterres pointed out. Explaining the reason for declaring the Day, the UN scribe said it was “to acknowledge a brutal chapter in human history, and to raise awareness of the dangers of racism and prejudice today".
From March 5 to 28, UN Headquarters hosts a temporary exhibition entitled ‘Remember Slavery: Say it Loud’.
The exhibition featured the work of 11 male and 11 female architects of African descent, whose perseverance, creativity and unique perspective had given them a voice on how public spaces were presented and utilised.
Again, in 2018, the Day is being commemorated during the International Decade for People of African Descent, which runs through 2024.
Guterres stressed: “Let us celebrate the gains of people of African descent and let us press, every day and everywhere, to defend the dignity of every human being."
Every year on March 25, the Day of Remembrance offers the opportunity to honour and remember those who suffered and died at the hands of the brutal slavery system.
The UN chief said: “As we mark the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights this year, let us honour those who perished or suffered under slavery."
To permanently honour the victims of Transatlantic slave trade, the UN in 2015 erected a memorial, The Ark of Return by Haitian-American architect Rodney Leon, at its headquarters in New York.
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Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that a global advocacy group, Amnesty International (AI), accused European governments of aiding human rights violations in Libya.
A report exposed the inhuman conditions migrants mostly from Nigeria were subjected to in slave camps in Libya.
Amnesty International’s head for Europe, John Dalhuisen, said that the European governments often worked with human traffickers to torture refugees and migrants.
According to him, the governments, via the European Union, provided support to Libya, trained its coastguard and spent millions of euros through UN agencies in order to cut African immigration across the Mediterranean.
Nigerians speak on slavery in Libya - on Legit.ng TV
Source: Legit.ng
