In a powerful address to the United Nations General Assembly, Barbados’ inaugural Poet Laureate Esther Phillips issued a compelling challenge to the international community, urging concrete action on reparations for the historical atrocities of the transatlantic slave trade. The special session, convened on Wednesday to mark the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade, featured Phillips’ poignant recitation of two original poems before representatives from all 193 member states.
Appointed in March 2018 to celebrate and advance Barbados’ literary heritage, Phillips—an accomplished poet, educator, and editor—delivered her address at the personal invitation of Assembly President Annalena Baerbock. Her appearance underscored the growing momentum behind reparations movements within international diplomatic circles.
The session culminated in a significant diplomatic achievement as the General Assembly adopted a landmark resolution spearheaded by Ghana and co-sponsored by Barbados alongside more than sixty nations. This historic document formally classifies the trafficking of enslaved Africans and the systematic racialized enslavement of African people as crimes against humanity.
Through this resolution, the Assembly explicitly acknowledged the critical necessity of addressing historical injustices perpetrated against Africans and their descendants worldwide. It further emphasized that reparations claims constitute essential, tangible measures for rectifying these profound historical wrongs, signaling a potential turning point in global discussions about historical accountability and restorative justice.