“Vi bærer alle på arven fra en dyster fortid og må bekæmpe enhver form for moderne slaveri såsom tvangsarbejde og nedarvet gældsslaveri”, lød det fra FN-chef på årsdagen, som er lagt på dagen for et slaveoprør på Haiti i 1791.
PARIS, 23 August 2012: Marking the International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition, the head of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Thursday called for reflection on the transformation brought about by the slave trade to the world, and urged countries to protect their citizens against racism and forced labour.
“The long series of uprisings by slaves in their quest for freedom are sources for reflection and action for protecting human rights and combating modern forms of servitude (trældom),” said UNESCO’s Director-General, Irina Bokova, in a message to mark the Day, which is observed annually on 23 August.
“The history of the slave trade and its abolition (ophævelse) has shaped the world in which we live,” she noted, adding:
“We are all heirs to this past, which has transformed the world’s map, its laws, cultures and social relations, even giving rise to new food habits – especially through the sugar trade.”
The International Day commemorates the uprising which took place on 22-23 August 1791, when slaves in Saint Domingue (present-day Haiti), launched an insurrection (opstand) which ultimately led to the Haitian revolution and helped promoted the cause of human rights.
“Through their struggles and their desire for dignity and freedom, slaves have contributed to the universality of human rights. People must be taught the names of the heroes of the history of slavery – they are all of humanity’s heroes,” Ms. Bokova said.
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