UN Secretary-General's Video Message to mark International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of the Transatlantic Slave Trade
On International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade, which is observed annually on 25 March , United Nations Secretary-General António Gutteres is urging us all to stand up in solidarity against racism everywhere. The 2022 theme for the observance is: “Stories of Courage: Resistance to Slavery and Unity against Racism.”
The Department of Global Communications – together with UNESCO and UNFPA – will hold an online cultural event entitled "Rhythms of Resistance", which will highlight the history of the transatlantic slave trade, as well as its ongoing legacy of racism. Through showcasing rhythmic performances in multiple countries, the event will also demonstrate how African cultures have shaped societies throughout the Americas.
It will be broadcast on Friday, 25 March, at 10:00 a.m. EDT on UN WebTV (media.un.org) and the UN’s YouTube channel. Participants will include high-level officials such as the Vice President of Costa Rica, the Deputy Secretary-General, the Executive Director of UNFPA, the Assistant Director-General for Social and Human Sciences of UNESCO, the Permanent Observers of the African Union and CARICOM, the Vice-Chancellor of The University of the West Indies, and Ghanaian musical artist Rocky Dawuni. More information is in the full programme. Registration at bit.ly/rhythmsofresistance is encouraged but not required.
On Tuesday, 29 March at 10:00 a.m. EDT on UN WebTV (media.un.org) a General Assembly meeting will be held to mark this observance. In addition to statements by the Secretary-General, the President of the General Assembly and Member States, this year’s meeting will feature a keynote address by Nikole Hannah-Jones, a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter from The New York Times and the creator of the groundbreaking “1619 Project”, which reframes the way we understand the history of the transatlantic slave trade. In 2021, Time Magazine named Ms. Hannah-Jones one of the 100 most influential people of the year.
