Abolish ‘human exploitation’ once and for all, UNESCO chief urges

(United Nations News) Commemorating the International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition on Wednesday, the head of the UN’s education, science and culture agency UNESCO, emphasized the urgent need to end exploitation.

“It is time to abolish human exploitation once and for all, and to recognize the equal and unconditional dignity of each and every individual,” said Audrey Azoulay, Director General of UNESCO.

“Today, let us remember the victims and freedom fighters of the past so that they may inspire future generations to build just societies.”

The night of 22 to 23 August was a turning point in history, marked the start of an uprising in Saint Domingue – now Haiti – in 1791, that played a pivotal role in ending the transatlantic slave trade.

It is against this background that the International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition is commemorated annually on 23 August.

The Day is intended to inscribe the horrors of the slave trade into collective memory, encourage reflection, and offer an opportunity to examine the complex interactions that unfolded between Africa, Europe, the Americas, and the Caribbean as a result of human slavery.

Read more at: United Nations News

Source: CARICOM TODAY