I begin with a quote from Maryse Condé (February 11, 1934 – April 2, 2024), a novelist, critic, and playwright from Guadeloupe whose writings explored the history of Africa and the Americas, particularly in relation to slavery and colonialism. She wrote: “The dead only die if they die in our hearts. They live on if we cherish them and honor their memory.”  We come today to cherish the lives and honor the memory of the victims of slavery, a crime against humanity. 

In 1998, UNESCO established the International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition to break the silence surrounding the history and lessons of enslavement, to examine its enduring consequences in modern history and societies, and how it shapes modern history, global demographics, and economies.  

An estimated 12 to 14 million Africans were forcibly taken from their homes and shipped across the Atlantic in horrifying conditions. In the dark history known as the Middle Passage, many perished at sea. Those who survived the journey toiled on sugar, rice, cotton, and tobacco plantations throughout the Americas and the Caribbean, and were denied their humanity.

It is a sensitive, challenging, but necessary conversation considering the horror and duration of slavery. We cannot remain silent about the resilience of the enslaved, whose unpaid labor significantly enabled the development of Western economies. We are also reminded of the daily experience of the descendants of the enslaved and their quest for self-identity. We celebrate their ingenuity, the preservation of their culture, and their contributions in all walks of life— from the arts, sports, business, education, to scientific accomplishments.  

The designation of August 23 pays homage to the day in 1791 when enslaved people in Saint-Domingue, present-day Haiti, rose to claim their freedom. Their determination led to the founding of an independent black republic. 

So, you can understand why narratives of helplessness are not the stories and fate of black people. We aim to deconstruct the discourse by analyzing underlying assumptions, contradictions, and power dynamics through a critical approach.  

Voices on the ground, including Cameroon’s Ngwese Nzimbi Kohe, also known as Bantufreeman, and the Honorable Dr. Samuel Dotse from Ghana, emphasize the authenticity of African values. The poem "Strong Men" by Sterling Brown, dramatized and presented by historical African American, Baba Tiéfing Stevenson, illuminates the themes of strength and awareness. Ms. Wanda Lockridge, also a historical African Diaspora and in Washington, DC, speaks on historical African Americans reconnecting with their roots in Africa, which is an emotional and spiritual journey, how she traced her ancestry through DNA testing, as well as education about Africa, which is not taught schools, but through scholarships provided by her organization, the William O Lockridge Foundation based in DC.

The cultural practices of Historical African Americans, traceable to Africa, including their soul food (a blend of gastronomy and culinary arts), and artistic ingenuity and expression, including music, affirm and validate their identity. As James Brown sang, “Say it Loud, I’m Black and I’m Proud!”

These discussions are not merely concepts and theories; they break the silence in a frank, practical, observable, straightforward way, and are based on lived experiences. They broaden the conversation and collaboration to capture the essence of the International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition.

On March 25, 2015, a Permanent Memorial to honor the victims of slavery and the transatlantic slave trade was established at the United Nations.

Rodney Leon, an American architect of Haitian descent, designed the Memorial, which was chosen from 310 design proposals submitted by 83 countries through an international competition organized in partnership with UNESCO’s Slave Route Project and the Permanent Memorial Committee.  

The Ark of Return is a tribute to the courage of enslaved people, abolitionists, and unsung heroes who helped end the oppression of slavery. It also promotes greater recognition of the significant contributions that enslaved people, and their descendants have made in their societies.  

FIRST ELEMENT: “Acknowledgment of the tragedy” is a three-dimensional map inscribed on the interior of the memorial. This map highlights the African continent at the center of the slave trade and illustrates the global scale, complexity, and impact of the triangular slave trade.  

SECOND ELEMENT: “Consider the legacy” illustrates the extreme conditions under which millions of African people were transported during the middle passage. The sculpture represents the spirit of the men, women, and children who lost their lives in the transatlantic slave trade.  

THIRD ELEMENT: “Lest we forget” is a triangular reflecting pool where visitors can honor the memory of the millions of souls that were lost. The reflective pool is a way to introduce water in a meditative, ritualistic, and spiritual manner, allowing people to pour libations or say a prayer in memory of the millions of souls lost, "lest we forget" this monumental and historic tragedy.

UNESCO calls on governments and organizations to commemorate the transatlantic slave trade and its abolition by highlighting the historical context and the ongoing effort to repair the harm. It is a day that encourages reflection on the causes, methods, and consequences of slavery. These activities, and those that follow, compel a commitment to fostering education through networks and actions in Africa, the Americas, Europe, and the Caribbean, where the scourge of slavery has profoundly impacted world demographics and economies.  

The history of slavery related to Cameroon, and particularly the slave port of Bimbia, which is on the Tentative List of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, is relatively unknown compared to other slave trade routes and sites such as Goree Island in Senegal, Elmina in Ghana, Whydah in Benin, Luanda and Benguela in Angola, Bimbia served as a central exit point for enslaved Africans, with over 100 ships carrying captives to the Americas. Bimbia constitutes a significant part of the broader history of the transatlantic slave trade.  

World Heritage sites are of global significance and under the auspices of countries’ Ministries of Arts and Culture. Today, Cameroon joins the global community in commemorating the International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition. The Ministry of Arts and Culture, under the visionary stewardship of His Excellency Bidoung Mkpatt, has demonstrated a public-private-people partnership that supports public education, public awareness, and actions by leveraging the resources of the Cameroonian community at home and abroad to achieve its objectives, which align with UNESCO’s goals. The symbiotic relationship between the government and the people exemplifies best practice in building capacity through self-reliance.  

We are mindful that while the Bimbia Slave Port was the point of departure, those who were captured and chained came from different geographical regions. His Majesty Dr. Andrew Ekoka Molindo, who is also the Secretary-General of the Southwest Chiefs Conference, provides insights into the role of indigenous African institutions in telling the African story, including through the transmission of handed-down oral histories Madame Amadine Mbouguia's presentation on the Bangou Slavery Memorial Garden memorializes the history of slavery by honoring the lives of the victims. This action challenges us to translate theories into practice.

We rise from the Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) approach by utilizing existing community resources, sourced from the people, to achieve outcomes rather than merely discussing problems from a deficit orientation and relying on government, and worse, external or foreign aid, which perpetuates dependency syndromes.  

On the actionable outcomes, no enlightened person can justify slavery, which remains a stain on the human conscience. There is a distinction between an enlightened and an educated person. An educated person may have acquired particular knowledge, including the history of the slave trade. However, that does not necessarily translate to a predisposition to take action. An enlightened person has developed a deeper understanding of the world and possesses a more profound ethical awareness, enabling the person to have a more balanced and rational perspective on the world and take informed actions.  

The distinction between an enlightened and an educated person lies in their consciousness and moral development. We hope to capitalize on our enlightening connections as we exchange knowledge, contacts, make new friends, and create networks in Cameroon, Africa, the Americas, Europe, and the Caribbean. Lest we forget, let us rise and move with legitimacy and urgency to execute actions, some of which we have heard today. Everyone has a place in realizing this common goal.

By Evelyn Joe,

Former special advisor to the African Union Economic, Social, and Cultural Council