Written by Grace Williams, LU/UN Intern | March 27, 2025 | SHARE
A group of 30 Lehigh University students traveled to the United Nations Headquarters in New York City on March 25 to participate in events commemorating the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade.
The annual observance honors the millions of men, women, and children who were victims of the transatlantic slave trade, one of the largest forced migrations in human history. The theme of this year’s commemoration was “Recognizing Resistance, Empowering Descendants.” The International Day of Remembrance was first established by the UN General Assembly in 2007 to educate future generations about the dangers of racism and prejudice.
The Lehigh students, representing a range of academic disciplines, joined diplomats, UN officials, scholars, and visitors from around the world in a day of reflection and learning. The special memorial ceremony held at the UN General Assembly Hall included speeches from the current Secretary General, President of the General Assembly, a Nobel Prize winner, and the former United States Youth Poet Laureate.
“As an African person, I decided to attend this trip because I felt I could learn a lot from what the UN has to say about the Transatlantic Slave Trade,” Zainab Komolafe ‘27. “It was inspiring to hear a lot of countries take accountability.”
Diya Narayan ‘27 was on the trip and is a member of Lehigh's UN Youth Representative Program. She frequently attends UN events as a representative for the NGO, The International Public Relations Association (IPRA).
“It was a privilege to not only represent Lehigh but also IPRA” said Narayan “I can’t wait to integrate the global perspectives we discussed into my write ups and presentations for my NGO.”
The trip was organized by Lehigh’s Office of Inclusive Excellence and Belonging, in collaboration with the Lehigh University / United Nations Partnership. The majority of the students on this trip had never been to the UN before. For many of them, the experience was an opportunity to connect their academics to global history and current conversations about racial justice and human rights.
“I recently switched to an International Relations and Economics major and this opportunity reassured my decision in changing my major. I really do want to be part of something like this in my future career so I am so glad I came and now understand even more diverse perspectives” said Habiba Swarna ‘27.
After the morning ceremony in the General Assembly Hall, the students participated in a roundtable discussion with one of the ceremony’s speakers, Salome Agbaroji, the former US Youth Poet Laureate. She discussed the background behind her speech, importance of honoring her Nigerian cultural heritage, and motivations to initiate positive change and use her voice. She is a 19-year-old second-year student at Harvard University.
“The message of using your voice and understanding that if you don’t use your voice then you will never be heard really stuck with me. Also, just being you and staying regardless of the circumstances or others around you,” said Komolafe.
Other students felt a similar sense of inspiration after the discussion with Agdaroji.
“You don't have to wait for others to inspire change, you can take action and start it on your own,” said Joe Capuno ‘28 “I can’t wait to apply this to all the clubs, multicultural organizations, and other spaces I am involved in at Lehigh.