International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition (23 August)

In observance of International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition, Dr Hilary Brown, Programme Manager, Culture and Community Development, CARICOM Secretariat, shares a message on the significance of recommitting to the fight for reparatory justice.

Read her message below:

On the Twenty-Third of August, which is the International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition, we pause to reflect on this dark chapter in history and honour the courage and resilience of those who were relentless in the fight for freedom – in Africa, on the slave ships and in the Caribbean. But this day is not only about remembering the past; it is also about understanding the impact of the legacies of these crimes against humanity on our lives today.

That is why the CARICOM Reparations Commission continues to call on the colonizers of Europe to acknowledge responsibility and repair the harm done to Africans for over 300 years by denying our humanity and our freedom, exploiting our labour and subjecting enslaved Africans to unimaginable pain and suffering.

Let us honour the memory of our ancestors with a recommitment to learning about our history, taking a strong stand against racism, promoting respect for human rights, and being resolute in the fight for reparatory justice.

Watch the message below.