Tragedy of slavery should give rise to respect of cultural diversity by Irina Bokova UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization   23 August 2010   Marking the day dedicated to the remembrance of the tragedy of the slave trade and the abolition of servitude, the head of the United Nations agency tasked conserving the world’s cultural heritage today urged mankind to promote the beneficial effects of cultural diversity.   “In this International Year for the Rapprochement of Cultures, remembrance of the slave trade and slavery, one of the worst tragedies in the history of humanity, prompts us to reflect on possible ways of alleviating and overcoming such painful memories,” Irina Bokova, the Director-General of the (UNESCO), said in a message to mark the International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition.   Since it was established in 1998, the International Day has been used as an opportunity to pay tribute to the struggle led by the slaves themselves to recover their dignity and freedom. An uprising on the island of Santo Domingo on the night of 22-23 August 1791 led to Haiti’s independence – the first victory of slaves over their oppressors.   This revolution had worldwide repercussions and a considerable impact on liberation struggles in the Latin American and Caribbean countries, some of which are celebrating the bicentenary of their independence this year.   “I invite all UNESCO’s partners, including national authorities, international and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and civil society, to provide opportunities for exchange and reflection that place emphasis on the beneficial effects of cultural diversity, recognizing the importance of the continuous transfers and exchanges among cultures and the links established since time immemorial,” said Ms. Bokova.   In 1994, UNESCO launched the Slave Route Project, which has given the organization significant experience and expertise to contribute to the critical reflection on ways of securing reconciliation and rapprochement among peoples through the shared legacy of the tragedy of slavery.   UNESCO will continue to implement innovative activities, information and awareness-raising campaigns to disseminate and ensure recognition of historical facts, and the cultural interaction arising from the slave trade and slavery.   To ensure the vitality and sustainability of the project, new themes are being examined to study the issue of slavery in greater depth.   The new themes include Africa’s presence in the world; the psychological consequences of the slave trade and slavery; the transfer of knowledge and skills from Africa to the rest of the world; tourism for remembrance; and cultural and creative industries arising from the tragedy.   According to UNESCO, the challenge of “living together” in our multicultural societies implies recognition of each person’s history and memory, and the sharing of a common heritage to transcend past tragedies. Visit the related web page
	UN ‘shocked and appalled’ at killings of medical workers in Afghanistan by Staffan de Mistura United Nations   9 August 2010   All United Nations staff in Afghanistan are “shocked and appalled” at the killing of ten medical workers in the northeast of the Asian nation, a senior world body official said today, calling for the protection of international health-care workers as they provide life-saving services.   The ten people killed on 5 August in Badakhshan were part of a group known as the International Assistance Mission, which has had an office in the area for many years and is known for bringing medical services to remote villages across Afghanistan.   “The United Nations condemns this serious crime and apparent cold-blooded execution,” Staffan de Mistura, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s Special Representative, said in a press statement.   “These were individuals who came to Afghanistan or were Afghans working in their own country to help the poorest and most vulnerable,” he stressed.   Also condemning the attack today was Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who emphasized that “health workers must have access to treat those in need and must be able to do so without fear.”   At a press conference in New York, he added that “under international law, health workers must be protected while they carry out their life-saving work.”   Mr. de Mistura expressed his condolences to the families, friends and colleagues left behind after the tragic incident, emphasizing that “all those involved in this and other incidents targeting health workers should respect the value of human life.”
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