Message from Ms. Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO, on the Occasion of International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and Its Abolition
联合国教科文组织总干事伊琳娜·博科娃在贩卖黑奴及其废除国际纪念日的致辞

23 August 2016
2016年8月23日

In the night of 22 to 23 August 1791, men and women, torn from Africa and sold into slavery, revolted against the slave system to obtain freedom and independence for Haiti, gained in 1804. The uprising was a turning point in human history, greatly impacting the establishment of universal human rights, for which we are all indebted.
1791年8月22日夜晚到23日凌晨，掳自非洲、沦为奴隶的人们为争取海地的自由和独立揭竿而起，奋起反抗奴隶制度——1804年，海地终获独立。这次起义标志着人类历史的重大转折，对确立人权的普遍性产生了深远的影响。我们每一个人都从中受益。

The courage of these men and women has created obligations for us. UNESCO is marking International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition to pay tribute to all those who fought for freedom, and, in their name, to continue teaching about their story and the values therein. The success of this rebellion, led by the slaves themselves, is a deep source of inspiration today for the fight against all forms of servitude, racism, prejudice, racial discrimination and social injustice that are a legacy of slavery.
前人的勇气赋予了我们重任。教科文组织庆祝贩卖黑奴及其废除国际纪念日是为了向这些自由斗士致敬，以他们之名永续这段历史的教诲，发扬它所承载的精神。这场由奴隶们自己发起的斗争取得的伟大胜利是我们不竭的力量源泉，今天仍鼓舞着我们与奴隶制遗留的各种奴役、种族主义、偏见、种族歧视和社会不公正现象抗争。

The history of the slave trade and slavery created a storm of rage, cruelty and bitterness that has not yet abated. It is also a story of courage, freedom and pride in newfound freedom. All of humanity is part of this story, in its transgressions and good deeds. It would be a mistake and a crime to cover it up and forget. Through its project The Slave Route, UNESCO intends to find in this collective memory the strength to build a better world and to show the historical and moral connections that unite different peoples. In this same frame of mind, the United Nations proclaimed the International Decade for People of African Descent (2015-2024). UNESCO is contributing to it through its educational, cultural and scientific programmes so as to promote the contribution of people of African descent to building modern societies and ensuring dignity and equality for all human beings, without distinction.
贩卖黑奴和奴隶制的历史暴虐残忍，至今仍让人感到愤怒和苦涩。这也是一段有关勇气、自由以及重获自由的骄傲的历史。这段曲折而崇高的历史是全人类的缩影。掩饰或遗忘这段历史是错误的，甚至是一种罪行。通过“奴隶之路”项目，教科文组织意在从这段具有普遍意义的历史中汲取力量，建设一个更美好的世界，展示连接各民族的历史和精神纽带。秉承同样的精神，联合国发起了“非洲人后裔国际十年”（2015年―2024年）。教科文组织通过其教育、文化和科学计划为此作出贡献，以凸显非洲人后裔在建设现代社会、确保人人无任何区分地享有平等尊严方面发挥的作用。