‘Remember Slavery’ Student Videoconference to Celebrate Legacy, Contributions of Africa-Descended People, at United Nations Headquarters, 12 May
The 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 ninth annual Remember Slavery Global Student Videoconference on 12 May.
Beginning at 9:30 a.m. and ending at 12 noon, the event will link high school students at United Nations Headquarters in New York to their counterparts in Kingston, Jamaica, and Monrovia, Liberia. The 2017 theme is “Remember Slavery: Recognizing the Legacy and Contributions of People of African Descent”.
Students will have the opportunity to learn about the specific consequences of the Transatlantic Slave Trade, in particular the ways in which enslaved Africans and their descendants influenced and continue to shape societies around the world, including in the areas of technology and culture. They will also discuss the persistent spirit and innovation of the people in communities affected by the Transatlantic Slave Trade.
Making an expert presentation on Black achievement will be Richard Benjamin, Head of the International Slavery Museum in Liverpool, United Kingdom. Students will present the results of their research on Black achievers leading up to the conference. Delivering a spoken word performance will be Soré Agbaje, a graduate of Urban Word NYC, an organization that provides free literary arts education and youth development programmes to teenagers across New York City. Additionally, conference participants will learn about The Ark of Return, the Permanent Memorial at United Nations Headquarters to Honour the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade.
Special guest speakers include José Luis Fialho Rocha, Permanent Representative of Cabo Verde to the United Nations, and Pennelope Althea Beckles, Permanent Representative of Trinidad and Tobago. The event will be webcast live at: webtv.un.org.
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 further remembrance of and learning about the causes, consequences, lessons and legacy of the Transatlantic Slave Trade and slavery. It also aims to raise awareness of the dangers of racism and prejudice today, through activities held around the world by the global network of United Nations information centres and educational materials produced throughout the year.
To learn more about the United Nations Remember Slavery programme, please visit 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 email: 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; and 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.