This Monday, the 27th, Djamila Ribeiro was at the General Assembly of the United Nations (UN), to speak as a keynote speaker, that is, as the main speaker of the event in honor of the Day in Remembrance of the Abolition of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade . The theme of the 2023 edition of this annual event was “Fighting against the legacy of slavery and racism through transformative education”, also the theme of Djamila’s speech.

In her speech, Djamila highlighted the effects of racial democracy and the relationship between this myth and the absence of memory and responsibility for centuries of slave trade. The writer also recalled the work of Grada Kilomba and Cida Bento, in reinterpreting the Greek myth of Narcissus from an anti-colonial perspective and how this view is a tool to understand the legacy of slavery.

Djamila also paid homage to Paulo Freire’s work when talking about education: Education plays a fundamental role in creating opportunities and expanding our worldview. Education has the power to transform people and institutions, she said.

By participating as a keynote speaker, Djamila became the first Brazilian to speak at this event, which occupies a prominent place in the annual anti-racism agenda at the UN.

Check out the speech in full: