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“Moving Beyond the Past, Freeing the Future”
On June 7, 2025, at the Memorial ACTe in Guadeloupe, multiple Olympic judo champion Teddy Riner lent his voice and commitment to a cause far beyond the tatami: the work of remembrance, social justice, and the need to heal the wounds of the past.
As a special guest at a workshop and conference organized by UNESCO’s Social and Human Sciences Sector, in collaboration with the European Commission, the Guerrand-Hermès Foundation and the First Caraïbes association, he brought meaningful presence to a day centered on transmission, dialogue, and hope.
Entitled “Moving Beyond the Past, Freeing the Future,” the event was part of UNESCO’s Routes of Enslaved Peoples programme. Through this initiative, UNESCO seeks to strengthen recognition of the historical injustices of enslavement and colonialism, and to mobilize communities to become agents of transformation.
The workshop and conference were held at the highly symbolic setting of the Memorial ACTe, a Caribbean center for expression and remembrance of enslavement and the trade in enslaved people. The event aimed to foster a critical understanding of the structural legacies of the past, while creating spaces for dialogue around resilience, transgenerational trauma, and possible pathways to healing the wounds of the past.
Originally from Guadeloupe, Teddy Riner shared his emotions on the painful history of his ancestors, as well as his hope in the ability of young people to turn stories of suffering into movements of solidarity and pride.
Understanding where we come from is essential to knowing where we’re going. What we’re doing here today is more than just a workshop — it’s a step toward healing, toward the respect of our shared humanity.
The workshop created a safe and supportive environment conducive to open expression and mutual listening. Throughout the day, participants were invited to explore the connections between past, present, and future through talking circles, collaborative activities, and moments of reflection. The goal: to help them reclaim their history, build bridges beyond racial divides, and imagine concrete projects for social transformation.
A public conference was led by Professor Aimé Charles-Nicolas — Emeritus Professor of Psychiatry — to delve deeper into the themes linked to historical trauma and collective resilience.
The Guerrand-Hermès Foundation for Peace and UNESCO are working together to support approaches centered on the need to heal wounds, aiming to respond to historical injustices and promoting social transformation through dialogue, education, and community resilience.
