Recognizing the Past, Repairing the Present, Building the Future

Inaugural Commemoration of the European Day for the Abolition of the Slave Trade in the European Parliament

Virtual Event on the Histories and Legacies of the Transatlantic Trade and Enslavement of Africans and People of African Descent in Europe and the Caribbean with a Screening of the Documentary Series “Enslaved” (2020)

2 December 2020  – 

INTRODUCTION

14:00 – 14:20 Welcoming remarks

·      Dimitrios Papadimoulis, Vice-President of the European Parliament

·      Charles Michel, President of the European Council (TBC)

·      Helena Dalli, European Commissioner for Equality

14:20 – 14:25 Introduction of the day

·      Younous Omarjee, MEP and Co-President of the Anti-Racism and Diversity Intergroup (ARDI)

14:25 – 14:40 Keynote

·      Michele Bachelet, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights

PANEL I: RECOGNIZING THE PAST

14:40 – 14:50 Opening remarks

·      Mia Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados

14:50 – 16:10 Discussion panel I: Recognizing the Past

MODERATOR: Rokhaya Diallo, French journalist, author and filmmaker

·      Pierrette Herzberger-Fofana, MEP, Co-President of ARDI

·      Professor Françoise Vergès, Political Scientist and Women’s Studies Scholar

·      Professor Olivette Otele, Professor of the History of Slavery at Bristol University  

·      Professor Ahmed Reid, Member of the UN Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent and Associate Professor of Caribbean History  at the City University of New York (CUNY)

·      Evin Incir, MEP, Co-President of ARDI (TBC)

PANEL II: REPAIRING THE PRESENT, BUILDING THE FUTURE

16:10 – 16:20 Opening remarks

·      Gabriela Ramos, Assistant Director-General for the Social and Human Sciences of UNESCO

16:20 – 17:40 Discussion Panel II: Repairing the Present, Building the Future

MODERATOR: Birgit Van Hout, Regional Representative for Europe, UN Human Rights (OHCHR)

·      Samira Rafaela, MEP, Co-President of ARDI

·      Professor Sir Hilary Beckles, Vice Chancellor of the University of West Indies and Chair of the CARICOM Reparations Commission

·      Professor Stephen Small, Professor of African American Studies at the University of California Berkeley

·      Afua Hirsch, British journalist, author, and the Wallis Annenberg Chair of Journalism at the University of Southern California

·      Professor Prosper Ève, Professor of History at the University of La Réunion

17:40 – 17:47 Closing remarks

·      Monica Silvana Gonzalez, MEP, Co-President of ARDI

SCREENING OF “ENSLAVED” WITH Q&A

Hosting: Anti-Racism and Diversity Intergroup of the European Parliament

18:00-18:10 Welcoming remarks to screening of “Enslaved”

●     SAMUEL L. JACKSON, American actor who is starring in “Enslaved” (TBC)

18:10-19:05 Screening of Episode 3 of “Enslaved” (2020)

19:05-20:00 Screening of Episode 4 of “Enslaved” (2020) 

20:00-20:30 Q&A with Series Director and Executive Producer Simcha Jacobovici, Executive Producer Ric Esther Bienstock & Lead Instructor for ‘Divers With A Purpose’ Kramer Wimberley

 

The event open to public. Check this website regularly for the access link: https://www.ardi-ep.eu/inaugural-european-parliament-commemoration-of-the-european-day-for-the-abolition-of-the-slave-trade/