On Sunday, May 25, during Africa Day celebrations, Mozambican authorities reaffirmed their demand for the return of at least 800 cultural artefacts looted during the colonial period. This effort is part of a broader, continent-wide movement to recover around 3,000 identified and inventoried African cultural and material items since 2020, according to the Mozambique News Agency.
The Minister of Education and Culture, Samaria Tovela, stated in Maputo that Mozambique is committed to actively participating in this historical reparation process.
“Historical reparations also occur through symbolic and cultural means. That’s why we’re organizing ourselves to discuss how we can reclaim what was stolen from our country and, in general, from the African continent,”
she said.
The minister emphasized the importance of African unity in shaping common policies that guarantee justice and dignity for nations that were subjected to centuries of colonization and exploitation.
“Today we are free, but we must reclaim everything that was taken. That’s why the theme chosen for Africa Day is: Justice for Africans and people of African descent through reparations.”
Meanwhile, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Maria Lucas, stressed that the issue of reparations goes beyond the return of cultural objects. It also includes accountability for actions such as forced deportations, mass killings, arbitrary detentions, torture, plundering of natural resources, and nuclear testing, whose human and environmental consequences are still felt.
“Historical reparations also occur through symbolic and cultural means. That’s why we’re organizing ourselves to discuss how we can reclaim what was stolen from our country and, in general, from the African continent,”
Tovela reiterated.
Recognizing the complexity and sensitivity of the issue, Lucas noted that reparative measures cannot be implemented overnight, but require a sustained and dynamic process. In this regard, plans are underway to proclaim a “Decade of Reparations”, focusing on the historical damage caused by slavery and colonialism.
Mozambique’s historical documentation on the topic is, according to the minister, extensive and thorough. She cited the Fortress of Maputo as a symbolic site where thousands of Mozambicans were captured and shipped in inhumane conditions into slavery in distant lands.
Reparations Agenda and Global Summit
The roadmap for 2025 includes a wide array of activities, such as seminars, symposiums, and conferences, many of which will be held in countries with strong Afro-descendant populations, like those in the Caribbean. These events will culminate in an Extraordinary Summit of the African Union (AU), attended by heads of state and government, in cooperation with the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).
“Today we are free, but we must reclaim everything that was taken. That’s why the theme chosen for Africa Day is: Justice for Africans and people of African descent through reparations.”
Throughout the year, the Ministry of Education and Culture will carry out awareness campaigns in schools and local communities, aiming to raise public consciousness about the long-term impacts of slavery, colonialism, and apartheid on Africa’s cultural, economic, and scientific development.
During the ceremony, Kola Beby, Ambassador of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Dean of the African Ambassadors Group, stated:
“Africa is not only the cradle of humanity but also the heart of global hope.”
He added that reparations should be seen as a pillar of global justice and an instrument of reconciliation with humanity.
The event featured various cultural activities, including a gastronomic fair showcasing traditional African dishes, in an atmosphere of celebration and reflection on the continent’s history and future.
Source: Diário Económico
