[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.22″ custom_margin=”-41px|||||” custom_padding=”33px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.25″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” custom_margin=”-19px|auto||auto||” custom_padding=”6px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” _builder_version=”4.14.8″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” text_orientation=”justified” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n
Mr. Eric Adams, Mayor of New York,<\/p>\n
Excellencies,<\/p>\n
Distinguished delegates,<\/p>\n
Dear Friends,<\/p>\n
I am deeply honored to welcome you all to this special event.<\/p>\n
I am deeply grateful to the Permanent Representatives joining us today; and of course, am pleased to welcome Mr. Mati Kochavi, Producer of Stelo Stories, and Mayor Adams, who is here on his first visit as Mayor to the United Nations.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The Equaino.Stories highlights a defining but dark moment of history. Known as the largest forced movements of a people in recorded human history, the Transatlantic Slave Trade spanned more than four centuries, with over fifteen million African men, women and children enslaved and victimized as a result.<\/p>\n While the chronicles of this abhorrent and inhumane event go down as history, the legacies of the slave trade live on to this day. Racial discrimination, social injustice, prejudice, intolerance, and servitude, remain some of the most vivid and compelling legacies of slave trade.<\/p>\n Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,<\/p>\n As I had mentioned earlier today at the General Assembly, years ago, I visited Goree Island in Senegal, which was the largest slave-trading centre on the West African coast. It is said that an estimated 15 to 20 million Africans passed through the Island between the 15th and 19th centuries.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Packed into small cells, the enslaved who were chained and shackled, had only the small \u201cdoor of no return\u201d through which they walked into the slave boat to be shipped across the Atlantic Ocean to be sold in the Caribbean, the South and the North Americas.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Slavery was not only a dreadful individual ordeal, but a cultural trauma whereby a group of people were subjected to such inhuman pain and torture that it dehumanized their existence, their group identity, values, feelings, and their cultural worldview.<\/p>\n Last week, I had the chance to visit the Ark of Return, which stands in honor of the victims of slavery and the Transatlantic slave trade. The depiction and engravings of human captivity and brutality on the Ark captured my heart, and ushered a sense of sorrow, compassion, and humility. It was a truly solemn moment to remember.<\/p>\n Today\u2019s screening is another example of how we can remember; of how we can raise awareness and call for action against the legacies of slavery.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Through its vivid imagery \u2013 and by using modern storytelling techniques to give a contemporaneous feel \u2013 Equiano Stories connects us to the past in a way that is often hard to achieve, particularly as we are prone to see the past as something long ago, distant and unrecognizable.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n While the experiences of each of the enslaved millions may never be known, by retelling stories, such as the self-recorded accounts of Olaudah Equiano, we help forge understanding.<\/p>\n This is especially important to reach younger audiences, including recurring to social media and similar platforms, to ensure that the memories and legacy live on.<\/p>\n The Equiano.Stories asks the question – What if an African child in 1756 had a cell phone when he was enslaved? \u2013 to reimagine the effects of social media during the slave trade era.<\/p>\n I hope the stories and message of Equiano.Stories<\/i> will reverberate across societies.<\/p>\n Excellencies, dear friends,<\/p>\n Our brightest hope of the future ignites from the lessons and stories of the past.<\/p>\n We must never forget the past; we must continue to discuss the legacy of slavery, especially as it pertains to the marginalization of persons of African descent, who are still denied justice and equality.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Let us strengthen our social contract with one another and stand united against racism.<\/p>\n I commend Mr. Kochavi for raising awareness through Equiano Stories, <\/i>and I thank the Permanent Mission of Israel for taking this project forward.<\/p>\n I thank you.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Mr. Eric Adams, Mayor of New York, Excellencies, Distinguished delegates, Dear Friends, I am deeply honored to welcome you all to this special event. I am deeply grateful to the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":361,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":" Excellencies, colleagues,<\/p> I welcome you all to our second meeting and our first interaction following the resumed part of the session.<\/p> Before I begin, I would like to recognize the loss of our dear friend and esteemed colleague, Ms. Gail Farngalo.<\/p> A Liberian national, Gail was my Team Leader for Human Rights and was active on gender during both the 75th<\/sup> and 76th<\/sup> sessions. She leaves behind a legacy of achievements and a groundswell of respect and affection from across the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ and diplomatic communities. Her presence is certainly felt here today.<\/p> Colleagues,<\/p> When I took on this Presidency of Hope, I pledged to make gender equality a priority area for the 76th<\/sup> session. I continue to look to the board for its wisdom and expertise, as I endeavour to fulfil that pledge.<\/p> In this regard, I have already benefited from the board\u2019s advice, from when we met on October 28th<\/sup> last year.<\/p> Acting on that advice, I committed to ensuring that all my five rays of hope, and all my major initiatives, are approached with a gender lens.<\/p> I made sure that the composition of my office is gender-balanced.<\/p> I have committed to participating only in panels that have equal gender representation.<\/p> Throughout my official interactions and travels, I have endeavoured to meet with women, including heads of states and governments, scientists, civil society representatives, and youth.<\/p> And I am proud to inform you that five young women have been recruited into the Fellowship for HOPE<\/em> that my office recently launched. The Fellowship as you are well aware is targeted at benefiting young diplomats from underrepresented countries, pursuing careers in diplomacy or public service.<\/p> Colleagues,<\/p> While recognizing that we have a long way to go in the battle for gender-equality, I am proud of what my team has been able to accomplish within the past few months.<\/p> Our work continues.<\/p> We will continue to raise our voices on issues disproportionately impacting women, such as domestic violence and work place harassment. We will continue to push the importance of gender-equal work spaces.<\/p> And we will continue to find new paths to empower young women with ambitious professional aspirations.<\/p> Now is not the time to rest on our laurels.<\/p> With the board\u2019s guidance and support, we must use the many opportunities over the coming months to further empower women and girls, and dismantle discriminatory practices against them.<\/p> There are several upcoming events that will provide us such opportunities. I look forward to the board\u2019s suggestions on how we can best utilize them.<\/p> As an example, the International Day of Women and Girls in science is fast approaching. We must recognize that women\u2019s contributions in science and technology have helped us cure diseases; discover new horizons in space; and develop technologies that have vastly improved our quality of life.<\/p> As we celebrate their achievements, we must also open pathways for young girls who aspire to follow in the footsteps of pioneers in science and technology.<\/p> Colleagues,<\/p> Let us also reflect that the theme chosen by the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women for this year is on \u201cachieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls in the context of climate change, environmental and disaster risk reduction policies and programmes\u201d.<\/p> As we strive to meet our obligations to the planet, let us recognize the important work done by women and girls at the forefront of the climate crisis, and whose humanitarian work in disaster-stricken areas has helped save lives and rebuild communities. We owe it to them to not only celebrate their work but to support them.<\/p> Colleagues,<\/p> Our programme of work for the months ahead has been circulated to members prior to the meeting, for consideration and feedback. Please note that the events we have planned are not exhaustive. I welcome further suggestions from the board on the content and format of future events and activities.<\/p> Colleagues,<\/p> We have made much progress within a short while. And with the board\u2019s support and guidance, I am sure that we can keep up this strong momentum.<\/p> I look forward to working alongside all of you to achieve our vision of a gender-equal world.<\/p> Thank you.<\/p>","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[111],"tags":[550,556,899,553],"committee-meeting":[],"class_list":["post-262652","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-speeches","tag-ga","tag-pga","tag-president-of-the-general-assemblys-special-event-on-equiano-stories","tag-shahid","et-doesnt-have-format-content","et_post_format-et-post-format-standard"],"yoast_head":"\n