On the International Day for Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade, the European Union emphasized the overlap of historical remembrance and the fight against modern slavery, forced labor, and racial discrimination at the UN General Assembly on March 25. Ambassador Hedda Samson, Deputy Head of the EU Delegation to the United Nations, stressed that the transatlantic slave trade was a significant tragedy with lasting impacts, calling for addressing its ongoing consequences. The EU’s statement linked history to current policy, urging governments to dismantle enduring disparities faced by descendants of enslaved individuals and increase public understanding of slavery’s long-lasting effects.
The EU addressed modern exploitation, noting the persistence of slavery in forms like trafficking and forced labor despite legal prohibitions. The statement cited the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights against slavery and new forced-labor rules banning products made under such conditions from EU markets. With an estimated 27.6 million people worldwide in forced labor, the EU’s stance goes beyond remembrance to focus on enforcement and rights protection.
Anti-racism efforts were also highlighted, with the EU reiterating its dedication to the International Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination and the Durban Declaration’s 25th anniversary. The recent European Commission Anti-Racism Strategy supports a unified effort against racism within the “Union of Equality.”
The EU’s message in New York urged that remembrance must inform current policy in education, anti-discrimination, trade, and action against trafficking and forced labor, weaving historical injustices with present-day human rights initiatives. This aligns with broader patterns in EU and UN discourses connecting past injustices with contemporary rights protection efforts.
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