This is the title of the educational and informative documentary supported and produced by UNESCO.

It presents the diverse histories and heritages stemming from the global tragedy of the slave trade and slavery.

Aimed at a general audience, it provides an overview of the massive deportation of African populations to different parts of the world including the Americas, Europe, the Indian Ocean, the Middle East, and Asia.

The DVD highlights the African presence across continents, the significant contributions of the African Diaspora to the host societies in various fields (arts, religion, knowledge, gastronomy, agriculture, behaviour, linguistics, etc.), and the racism and discrimination inherited from this tragic past. Its scope moves beyond the trauma of slavery and emphasizes slave resistance and resilience in surviving such a dehumanizing system.

Through the compilation of images, historical narration, and interviews with experts from all continents, the film shows how African slaves and their descendants, in contrast to incorrect "racial" theories, helped shape the modern world.

The film’s main objective is to give a global vision of the different dimensions of this tragedy and raise crucial questions regarding its consequences in modern societies in order to come to terms with this collective memory. 

Slave Routes: A Global Vision (Excerpt) 

• Type: Documetary
• Sample duration: 00:09:05 Total film length: 00:57:00
• Languages: English, French, Spanish
• Directors: Sheila Walker/Georges Collinet
• Producer: UNESCO
• Year issued: 2010

For full screening of this film (00:57:00), please use this Contact Form to send your request to our video on demand Service (VOD).

Pedagogical Resources:

Various tools accompany this multimedia kit, to reinforce knowledge on the themes raised and facilitate debate after the screening of the film.

Accessible online, these documents can be downloaded and used in different situations.

• Publication Date: 30-07-2010