Benin on Saturday paid moving tribute to victims of the transatlantic slave trade with a powerful commemoration in Ouidah, the southern city that once served as a major departure point for enslaved Africans. The event coincided with the International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition, marked globally on August 23.
The ceremony began at the Place aux Enchères, a historic slave auction site, where Afro-descendants, political leaders, cultural figures, and religious representatives gathered before embarking on a two-kilometre walk to the symbolic “Door of No Return.” The arch, facing the Atlantic Ocean, represents the painful final view enslaved Africans had of their homeland before being forced across the seas.
Minister of Tourism, Culture, and Arts, Jean-Michel Abimbola, noted that the march is a solemn reminder of the country’s painful past. “This day calls us to remember the deportation of millions of men, women, and children from our shores,” he said.
For many Afro-descendants, the ceremony carried deep emotional weight. Bertin Pedro, who traced his ancestry to Haiti, said the initiative is helping bridge connections between Benin and diaspora communities. He highlighted new legislation that now grants Afro-descendants the right to claim Beninese nationality, calling it a step towards reclaiming identity and roots.
Themed “Memory, Resilience and Future: Honouring the Victims, Building for Tomorrow”, this year’s remembrance also featured discussions among researchers, cultural leaders, and diaspora representatives. The conversations focused on how to preserve collective memory, involve young generations, and use history as a foundation for reconciliation and stronger communities.
The Ouidah ceremony remains one of the most symbolic remembrance events on the continent, underscoring the city’s central place in the history of the slave trade and Africa’s collective journey of memory and resilience.
