Reparations Movement Gains Momentum at Historic UN Meeting

Descendants of both slave owners and enslaved individuals gathered at the UN in New York to discuss reparations for slavery. This is part of a broader effort to address the historical and ongoing impacts of the slave trade. Despite some opposition, efforts are underway to promote acknowledgment and reparations.

In a significant event at the UN headquarters in New York, descendants of slave owners and enslaved people convened to discuss the contentious issue of reparations for slavery. This marked the first time both parties sat together with diplomats and experts from former British Caribbean colonies.

The meeting was part of the UN Permanent Forum on People of African Descent's week-long session, aiming to confront the historical injustices of the trans-Atlantic slave trade, which uprooted an estimated 25 to 30 million Africans. The call for reparations is gaining traction globally, with CARICOM leading demands for apologies and contributions from European nations.

Despite resistance, notable individuals like Laura Trevelyan and Charles Gladstone have apologized for their ancestors' roles in slavery. They are advocating for broader acknowledgment and reparative actions, urging that a collective movement could persuade governments to take substantial steps towards reparatory justice.

(With inputs from agencies.)