The All-Party Parliamentary Group for Afrikan Reparations is set to address how to deliver justice to nations affected by the legacy of slavery during its second national conference this weekend. As discussions intensify at the Commonwealth summit, politicians and activists are eager to harness the growing momentum behind reparations efforts.
The APPG-AR, which consists of MPs from various political parties, aims to further the push for reparations and justice for regions impacted by transatlantic slavery. Last year’s conference saw a turnout of 850 attendees and featured 22 sessions covering a wide array of topics, from artifact restitution and land rights to education, trade unionism, climate reparations, economic justice, legal frameworks, and cultural matters.
This year’s event, titled “From Acknowledgment to Action,” seeks to shift the focus towards developing tangible policy proposals for reparations at local, national, and international levels. Bell Ribeiro-Addy, the Labour MP and chair of the APPG-AR, stated, “Reparations are not about relitigating past injustices; they are about addressing the entrenched inequalities that still shape our society today. With an increasing awareness of the historical racial hierarchies that justified the enslavement and colonization of African peoples, it’s concerning that there is still a lack of state-led action on reparations.”
The conference comes on the heels of controversial remarks from Keir Starmer, who expressed a desire to “look forward” instead of engaging in “endless discussions about the past” while en route to the event.
Lavinya Stennett, founder and CEO of the Black Curriculum, is participating in the education panel. She emphasized the necessity of addressing “the inaccuracies and significant omissions in our curriculums regarding Britain’s involvement in chattel slavery,” arguing that such gaps allow contemporary leaders to overlook the case for reparations. Stennett further mentioned her intention to foster discussions on “reparative language” to encourage collective learning and engagement that transcends initial feelings of guilt, shame, and remorse.
Professor Gus John, an equality and human rights advocate also speaking at the conference, highlighted the concept of reparatory justice. He noted, “Colonialism has generated lasting wealth for the British elite, including the monarchy and the church, a reality that persists today. In contrast, this wealth creation has led to ongoing poverty and heightened vulnerability to climate change among the nations and descendants of those who contributed to that wealth. Justice demands restitution and a rebalancing of opportunities to ensure equitable distribution of life chances.”
