Qatar Calls for Continued Efforts to Combat All Forms of Slavery and Its Manifestations
New York / Information Office / March 27
The State of Qatar has underlined the importance of continuing to combat all forms of slavery and its manifestations, calling for the need to work to raise awareness about the consequences of slavery, the slave trade and the dangers of racism and intolerance.
The State of Qatar, which heads the Group of Asian and Pacific States to the United Nations this month, reiterated the Group's commitment to respect the legacy of victims of slavery, the slave trade and the fight against all forms of slavery and its manifestations.
This came in a statement delivered by HE Qatar's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ambassador Sheikha Alia Ahmed bin Saif Al- Thani at the United Nations General Assembly on behalf of the Asian and Pacific Group, on the occasion of on the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade.
"We celebrate this year's International Day under the theme of" Victory and the fight for freedom and equality "which gives us an opportunity not only to remember and praise the victims of slavery but to think and learn from the lessons of the past," said HE Ambassador Sheikha Alia Ahmed bin Saif Al -Thani.
The statement said that the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade is also an occasion to call for action to oppose and combat any form of slavery in the world today.
The statement referred to the numerous initiatives taken to reaffirm the commitment to the implementation of the Durban Declaration of the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance and to honor the memory of the victims of slavery and the slave trade and the restoration of their dignity.
The transatlantic slave trade was the largest forced migration throughout history, the statement noted , stressing the importance of taking responsibility for raising awareness and educating future generations about the causes, consequences, lessons and legacy, reporting on the dangers of racism and intolerance and encouraging continuous action.
On behalf of the Group, the State of Qatar stressed the importance of taking action on the ground to develop and implement educational programs through school curricula, in accordance with national legislation, to educate future generations, to understand the lessons of history and the consequences of slavery and the slave trade.
The statement lauded the efforts made by the Permanent Notes Committee, the African Group and the Caribbean Community in cooperation with UNESCO to implement the General Assembly resolution on the establishment of the Permanent Monument (the return ship) to honour the victims of slavery and the transatlantic slave trade.