UNESCO Routes of Enslaved Peoples Project

It is a privilege to join you for this International Conference on “Resistance, Liberty, Heritage in the Western Indian Ocean”, and to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the UNESCO “Routes of Enslaved Peoples: Resistance, Liberty, Heritage” Project.  The timing of this conference is significant in that it is part of the commemoration of the 190 years of the Abolition of Slavery in Mauritius, which was celebrated on 1 February this past Saturday.   It marks a pivotal moment in our ongoing journey to understand, reconcile, and learn from shared histories of slavery and its enduring legacy.

Excellences, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Between the 16th and 19th centuries, some 27 million Africans were torn from their homes, forced onto ships to be transported across the Atlantic. They were enslaved: exploited and denied dignity and their fundamental rights. And although the slave trade has been officially abolished, its pernicious legacy lives on today, perpetuating discrimination, social exclusion and inequality throughout the world.

The cornerstone of the United Nations is the promotion and protection of human rights upfront approach, combatting inequalities and exploitation and fostering inclusion as key components of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This enslaved people’s project launched by UNESCO 30 years ago, has been instrumental in producing innovative knowledge, developing international networks of scholars and conferences such as this today, and supporting memory initiatives on slavery, slave trading and abolition. Allow me to also honour Doudou Diene, the visionary behind the UNESCO Routes of Enslaved Peoples project. 

Here in the Indian ocean itself, the networks of scholars have played a seminal role in revealing and reconstructing the complex multi-ethnic and multi-directorial slave trading on the lives of millions of Africans east Asian, Indian, Malagasy southeast Asian.   The has played a pivotal role in sharing the silence which surrounds history of slavery to result in social justice and recognition of the enormous contributions these silent disempowered heroes made to shaping our society, our history, culture and heritage. Their contributions have shaped the development trajectory and the current pluralistic societies of contemporary Mauritius and the region. 

I congratulate the government in partnership with participating universities, centres of research and scientific committees from both within Africa and abroad for their commitment to breaking the silence surrounding the history of slavery and address its lasting consequences, including in the Western Indian Ocean, a region that has also experienced Indentured Labour, a phenomenon inherited after the abolition of slavery. 

This 3-day conference with engagement by prolific academicians, researchers and experts involved in unveiling this history, will no doubt facilitate integration and enshrining memories in books and other pedagogical resources, to ensure such tragedies never happen again. 

UNESCO World Heritage Sites like the "Le Morne Brabant", a mountain in Mauritius serves as a powerful symbol of the struggle against slavery and the enduring impact of this dark period on the islands' societies, or “Aapravasi Ghat”, a testimony on the legacy of Indentured Labor, and not to mention the Intercontinental Slavery Museum which records their legacy. I am happy to see from the Conference agenda that you will have a chance for visiting some of these sites.

In this context, I noted that in addition to scholarly papers, the conference agenda features a number of artistic and cultural heritage event to include fashion, textile, films and exhibition and the launch of Mauritius first archaeological exhibition on slavery.  Arts and culture have the unique ability to transcend language and cultural barriers, providing a universal platform for healing and envisioning a more inclusive future. Through music, literature, dance, visual arts, and other cultural expressions, we can pay tribute to the resilience and creativity of enslaved peoples and their descendants and foster a deeper connection to our shared humanity. 

Allow me finally to recall the famous Sega song “Le Morne Sega” which was released by Cassiya and voted song of the year on Mauritian radio, which poignantly reminds us of the power of history, of resistance and pride in self-identity.

Ladies and gentlemen!

History matters.  Understanding our past and redressing the injustice of the past is essential for building social cohesion and inclusive future. I commend the Government of Mauritius for its commitment from highest level to let no-one behind, to have every voice count and to ensure no tears in the ears of its population.  Let us all join hands in not only commemorating the past and the legacy of the contributions of slaves and indentured labourers, let us equally now fight all forms of modern-day slavery, racism, and human rights abuses. 

I wish a very fruitful and rich interaction these next three days.