U.N. officials call for honoring victims, brave fighters against slave trade

Officials from the United Nations (U.N.), on the occasion of the International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition on Friday, called for honoring both the victims and the heroic figures who resisted the transatlantic slave trade, emphasizing the importance of reflecting on the trade's historical impact and the ongoing fight for equality and justice.

Dennis Francis, President of the 78th United Nations General Assembly, posted a statement on social media urging people to remember the courageous individuals who challenged the brutalities of the transatlantic slave trade, acknowledging their role in forever altering the course of history.

"Mr. Francis also stressed that their struggle reminds us of the enduring power of the human spirit in the face of oppression. The PGA invited all to honor the legacy by continuing the fight for equality and justice, ensuring that such atrocities are never repeated," addressed Monica Grayley, spokeswoman for the President of the General Assembly.

On the same day, Audrey Azoulay, director-general of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), stressed the importance of commemorating both the victims and the freedom fighters of the past. She called for remembrance to inspire future generations to build just societies.

The U.N.'s International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition, observed annually across the globe on Aug 23, commemorates the tragedy of the transatlantic slave trade during the colonial era.

The annual observance is led by the UNESCO.

First observed in Haiti on Aug 23, 1998, and in Goree Island in Senegal, on Aug 23, 1999, the date marks the uprising of self-liberated enslaved people on Saint Domingue (now Haiti and the Dominican Republic) against French colonial rule on the night of Aug 22 to 23, 1791, which was pivotal in ending the transatlantic slave trade.

U.N. officials call for honoring victims, brave fighters against slave trade

U.N. officials call for honoring victims, brave fighters against slave trade

U.N. officials call for honoring victims, brave fighters against slave trade

China and Spain are set to deepen bilateral economic and trade cooperation, with a focus on expanding collaboration in emerging industries such as clean energy and cross-border e-commerce, a spokesperson for China's Ministry of Commerce said on Thursday.

During a regular press briefing, spokesperson He Yongqian said the ministry will work closely with Spanish authorities to strengthen ties and cement economic partnerships.

"Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez recently led a trade delegation to China, where he and Minister Wang Wentao delivered speeches at the second meeting of the China-Spain Business Advisory Council, joined by over 60 representatives from both countries. During the meeting, business leaders from China and Spain expressed their commitment not only to strengthening cooperation in traditional sectors but also to exploring opportunities in emerging industries such as clean energy, cross-border e-commerce, big data, and the low-altitude economy, while jointly expanding into other markets," He said.

The spokesperson said the next step is to provide more regular and practical platforms for exchanges between businesses from the two countries.

Sanchez visited China for a four-day trip that began on Sept. 8.

China, Spain to deepen economic cooperation, explore new sectors: commerce ministry