Permanent Memorial to Honour the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade at the United Nations
The Ark of Return: A Virtual Visit
In response to COVID-19, and in the interest of safety, visits by the public to United Nations Headquarters have been suspended until further notice. Meanwhile, the Ark of Return, the Permanent Memorial to Honour the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade at the United Nations, continues to stand as a reminder that the legacies of slavery – including racism and inequality – still affect us all. During these times of physical isolation, the United Nations Remember Slavery Programme invites you to visit the Ark of Return virtually.
The Permanent Memorial was unveiled on 25 March 2015, which marks the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade. The memorial, located on the United Nations Visitors Plaza in New York, will invite people everywhere to contemplate the legacy of the slave trade and to fight against racism and prejudice today.
Visitors can pass through the Ark of Return to intimately experience three primary elements. The first element, Acknowledge the Tragedy, is a three-dimensional map that depicts the global scale of the triangular slave trade.
The second element, Consider the Legacy, is a full scale human figure lying in front of a wall inscribed with images of the interior of a slave ship. This element illustrates the extreme conditions under which millions of African people were transported during the Middle Passage.
The third element, Lest We Forget, is a triangular reflecting pool where visitors can honour the memory of the millions of souls who were lost.
In 2007, the United Nations General Assembly agreed to establish a Permanent Memorial in the grounds of the United Nations in New York City to honour the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade.
In 2011, together with UNESCO the Permanent Memorial Committee launched a design competition. The Ark of Return by Haitian-American architect Rodney Leon was chosen among 310 entries from 83 countries.
The project is funded through generous voluntary contributions from Member States, complemented by funding from foundations and private individuals.
Mission Statement
Over four centuries, more than 18 million people were forcefully removed from Africa to the Americas (including the Caribbean) and Europe.
For those who survived the horrific middle passage, thousands of them would later perish as a result of the cruel and inhumane treatment meted out to them and from the appalling conditions in which they had to exist on the plantations.
The Permanent Memorial will serve as a reminder of the legacy of the slave trade. It will provide future generations an understanding of the history and consequences of slavery and serves as an educational tool to raise awareness about the current dangers of racism, prejudice and the lingering consequences that continue to impact the descendants of the victims today.
The Permanent Memorial acknowledges one of the most horrific tragedies of modern history. It is a reminder of the heroic actions of the slaves, abolitionists and unsung heroes who acted in the face of grave danger and adversity.
The Memorial's placement at United Nations Headquarters is a significant symbol of what the world body represents: the promotion and preservation of the dignity and worth of all human beings - principles that are central to its Charter.
Weekly Briefings
Weekly briefings at the Memorial are held every Wednesday from 10:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. – except during the annual General Debate of the United Nations General Assembly (mid-September to early October) and the months of December, January and February.
The briefings are free to attend and no advance reservation is needed. Tours begin at the Memorial, in the United Nations Visitors Plaza at 1st Avenue and 46th Street. Visitors are taught about the Memorial and the history of the Transatlantic Slave Trade.
The Remember Slavery Programme, which is managed by the United Nations’ Education Outreach Section, conducted the first briefing on 3 June 2015.
Free group visits of the memorial are available on demand. Please contact [email protected] for information and scheduling.
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Visit of official delegation from Senegal’s Gorée Memorial, 28 June 2018
Videos
The Unveiling of the Permanent Memorial "The Ark of Return"
25 March 2015 - The Permanent Memorial "The Ark of Return" honours the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade.
Ark of Return, Unveiling of Permanent Memorial: Save the date
Rodney Leon, Architect and designer of the Permanent Memorial in honour of Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade explains his design.
- Unveiling of the Winning Design - International Competition for a Permanent Memorial to the Honour Victims of Slavery (UNESCO)
- The Ark of Return: Lest We Forget (UN Stories)
- Permanent Memorial at the United Nations - Ark of Return – Competition process
News and Radio
- 25 March 2015: 'UN marks Day of Remembrance with calls to end modern slavery'
- 25 March 2015: ‘UN unveils permanent memorial to victims of transatlantic slave trade’
- 25 March 2015: ‘Architect shares inside look of slavery memorial’
- 25 March 2015: ‘Ark of Return: UN erects memorial to victims of transatlantic slave trade’
- 25 March 2015: ‘FEATURE: Architect of UN slavery memorial explains ‘The Ark of Return’
- 25 March 2015: ‘Memorial to Victims of Slavery unveiled at UN’
- 24 March 2015: 'UN to unveil permanent memorial in New York honouring victims of transatlantic slave trade'
- March 2015: ‘Historic ‘Ark of Return’ monument on slavery unveiled at the UN’
- 26 Sept 2014: At UN, memorial to transatlantic slave trade will send ‘powerful message’ for years to come
- 26 Sept 2014: Moving Forward the Permanent Memorial to Honour the Victims of slavery and transatlantic slave trade
- 24 Sept 2013: The Ark of Return
- 23 Sept 2013: Winning design “The Ark of Return” for the Permanent Memorial in Honour of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade unveiled by UN Secretary-General
Press conferences
- 25 March 2015: UN Noon Briefing on the occasion of the unveiling of the Permanent Memorial to honour the victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade
- 25 March 2015: International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade
25 March 2015: Press conference on the occasion of the unveiling of the Permanent Memorial to honour the victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade
Press releases and notes to correspondents
- 23 March 2015: Note to Correspondents: United Nations Unveils at New York Headquarters Permanent Memorial to Victims of Transatlantic Slave Trade
Statements
- Secretary-General's message on launch of website for Permanent Memorial to Honour the Victims of Slavery and the Translatlantic Slave Trade
- Statement at the unveiling ceremony for the Permanent Memorial to Honour the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade, 25 March 2015, The Most Hon. Portia Simpson Miller ON, MP,
Prime Minister of Jamaica
- Statement at the unveiling ceremony for the Permanent Memorial to Honour the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade, 25 March 2015, Mr. Sam Kutesa, President of the General Assembly
- Statement at the unveiling ceremony for the Permanent Memorial to Honour the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade, 25 March 2015, Ambassador Téte António, Permanent Observer of the African Union to the United Nations
- Statement at the unveiling ceremony for the Permanent Memorial to Honour the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade, 25 March 2015, Ambassador Asoke K. Mukerji, Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations