Breaking the Silence Education Project

Breaking the Silence, UNESCOs Associated Schools Project Network (ASPnet) Transatlantic Slave Trade Education Project, was launched in 1998. It aims to break the silence surrounding the Transatlantic Slave Trade, while forging new triangular links between over 120 ASPnet schools in 22 countries in Africa, the Americas, the Caribbean and Europe.

http://www.unesco.org/education/asp/tst/

The goal of the project is to increase awareness of the Transatlantic Slave Trade, its causes and its consequences which include the immense contributions made by Africa to the social, cultural and economic development of the Americas, the Caribbean and Europe, and to help eliminate modern forms of slavery and racism.

Promoting mutual respect and intercultural dialogue is a priority. Project activities include developing new educational material to teach effectively about the Transatlantic Slave Trade and organising a wide range of intercultural activities, often linked to long-ignored places of memory. Worldwide schools are encouraged to observe the 23 August, the International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition. This project is also carried out in close co-operation with The Slave Route Project in UNESCOs division of intercultural dialogue, Culture Sector.

http://portal.unesco.org/culture/en/ev.php-URL_ID=5322&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html

Breaking the Silence Education Project aims to:

• Break the silence surrounding the Transatlantic Slave Trade
• Increase awareness about its causes, consequences and contributions and the importance of preserving places of memory
• Develop new educational material and approaches to help teach effectively about the Transatlantic Slave Trade
• Create triangular educational, cultural and social links between ASPnet schools in Europe, Africa and the Americas and Caribbean
• Promote mutual respect and intercultural dialogue between young people
• Mobilise schools to observe 23 August, the International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition