Blog of Marie-Christine Gries, SI Representative to UNESCO, Paris. 

The December 2024 International Conference of UNESCO’s NGO partners was marked by the strong presence of UNESCO’s programme managers. The Assistant Directors-General in charge of the sectors presented their activities and emphasised the indispensable and productive cooperation of NGOs partners in achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.

Human and Social Sciences in UNESCO

The Human and Social Sciences sector is one of the essential components of UNESCO’s remit, at the heart of the institution whose constitutional act 1945 is: “it is in the minds of men that the defense of peace must be constructed.”

This sector is specifically dedicated to analysing, forecasting and proposing regulations and standards to transform societal behavior and mentalities. It assesses the social impact of various natural events and those resulting from human activity: the development of science and technology and collective knowledge, their use by societies and cultures, and their effects on social groups at all levels. This is an essential role in anticipating and preventing the devastating disorders, aggression and conflicts that stand in the way of the worldwide peace.

Naturally, the Human and Social Sciences sector works complementarily with the other sectors (Education, Natural Sciences, Culture and Communication).

Current Priorities

The sector’s current priorities are to create and ensure the universal adoption of ethical standards for Artificial Intelligence, bioethical sciences and techniques in neurotechnology. The sector promotes the role of sport in health and education. It contributes to the fight against various forms of discrimination, including discrimination against women and racism.

Observing the persistence and radicalisation of racist discrimination and violence, and the emergence of the “Black Lives Matter” movement, a slogan that reflects the feeling of inferiority and the powerlessness of victims of racism in the face of such violence, Ms. Gabriella Ramos, Deputy Director General of SHS, announced to the Conference the launch of a new research project (led by a dedicated team) on the contemporary after-effects of slavery.

The Lasting Effects of Slavery

Several major UNESCO projects on the ‘slave trade’ in Africa preceded this research:

– The historical reconstruction of slavery routes

– Highlighting places of remembrance, such as Gorée Island (Senegal)

Contemporary after-effects? The men and women who are the descendants of the victims of the slave trade in Africa, born and living in their own Western cultural context (Europe and North America), should have inherited the trauma of their enslaved ancestors. Trauma of this magnitude can be passed on, with a psychological legacy that weakens self-esteem and inhibits against the racist aggression suffered.

This vulnerability is reinforced by the omission of memories:

– It’s not so long ago that the theory of “peoples without history” was invalidated (notably by the encyclopedic work General History of Africa – UNESCO). Nevertheless, much of the history of relations between Africa and the West prior to the period of the slave trade has been erased. Current school textbooks in Europe mention slavery and then colonisation, but not the cultural and commercial exchanges between Europe and Africa prior to the period of slavery. There are only a few fleeting allusions to any exceptional receptions of particular African guests or to political relationships between monarchs on an equal rank.

The struggle of slaves and abolitionists has also been erased, although this fierce struggle did exist, with the emergence of communities of rebels. This oblivion eliminates references to heroic figures among the victims of the slave trade and their descendants.

Further Considerations

We will have to wait for information on the first studies carried out to assess the prospects of this research, which we hope will have a positive impact on attitudes in the fight against racism, and for the cause of the descendants of slaves against today’s aggressors.