United Nations Slavery Memorial, Memorial sculpture at United Nations Headquarters, New York, US.
The United Nations Slavery Memorial, also called the Ark of Return, is a sculpture made from white Vermont marble mounted on a steel frame that rises at the entrance to the UN plaza. The structure includes a triangular ship form, a black granite figure, and a reflecting pool that together commemorate the millions who died through the transatlantic slave trade.
The memorial was conceived in 1992 to honor those lost to the slave trade, emerging from an international design competition that received over 300 submissions from 83 countries. Architect Rodney Leon's winning design was unveiled in 2015 on the International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition.
The memorial is known as the Ark of Return, drawing its name and symbolism from Gorée Island in Senegal, a place central to understanding the transatlantic slave trade. Visitors walking through the site encounter each sculptural element as part of a journey that encourages reflection on loss and resilience.
The memorial is accessible during United Nations operating hours and can be visited as part of a guided tour or through independent exploration. Advance registration at the Visitors Center is recommended to avoid wait times and gain insight into the site's significance.
The design references Gorée Island in Senegal, where enslaved people passed through a notorious gateway during their final journey before departure across the Atlantic. This architectural connection creates a direct link between one of Africa's most significant memorial sites and the memorial at the United Nations.
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