United Nations Global Student Videoconference to Celebrate Heritage, Culture, Roots of African Diaspora at Headquarters on 13 May

The United Nations Department of Public Information will partner with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Associated Schools Project Network (ASPnet) and Links, Inc. to organize its eighth annual Remember Slavery Global Student Videoconference on 13 May.

Beginning at 9:30 a.m. and running until 12 p.m., the event will link high school students at United Nations Headquarters in New York to their counterparts in Dakar, Senegal, and Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.  The 2016 theme is “Remember Slavery:  Celebrating the Heritage and Culture of the African Diaspora and Its Roots”.

Students will have the opportunity to learn about the rich African culture and traditions that have impacted life in countries that were involved in the transatlantic slave trade and where the African diaspora continues to make major contributions to all aspects of life.  The event will promote greater knowledge of and respect for the diverse heritage, culture and contribution of people of African descent to the development of various societies.

An expert presentation on African heritage and culture will be made by Sheila S. Walker, Executive Director of Afrodiaspora, Inc.  Participants will also learn about The Ark of Return, The Permanent Memorial at United Nations Headquarters to Honour the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade, from Rodney Leon, the architect who designed it.

A. Missouri Sherman-Peter, Permanent Observer of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) to the United Nations, will lead the students in an educational activity, and students will deliver artistic presentations showcasing cultural traditions that can be traced to their African roots.

The Remember Slavery Programme, managed by the Education Outreach Section of the Department of Public Information, was established by the General Assembly in 2007 to honour the memory of the victims of slavery and the transatlantic slave trade.  It also aims to raise awareness of the dangers of racism and prejudice today, with activities held and educational materials produced throughout the year.  To learn more about the United Nations “Remember Slavery” programme, please visit www.rememberslavery.un.org.

For more information on the event, please contact Brenden Varma, Public Information Officer, United Nations, at tel.:  +1 212 963 7238, or e-mail:  varmab@un.org.

ASPnet encourages schools worldwide to educate students on issues related to UNESCO's overarching goal of promoting peace and international understanding.  The network now includes around 10,000 educational institutions in more than 180 countries.  ASPnet schools work in four key areas:  intercultural learning, peace and human rights, education for sustainable development and United Nations priorities.  They integrate related knowledge, values, skills and attitudes in their curriculum, as well as their teaching and learning practices.

For more information on ASPnet, please contact Sabine Detzel, International Coordinator, ASPnet, UNESCO, at tel.:  +33 0 145681052, or e-mail:  s.detzel@unesco.org.