The silence of the world
THE SILENCE OF THE WORLD. TEASER from OCTV Producciones on Vimeo.
Summary
The Silence of the World is a documentary about how African slaves and their descendants have contributed to the current western culture, being one of the pillars of the
way American continent is today, though not recognised as such. It brings to the table controversial topics on how the sufferings of millions made up for the most powerful
countries today, and it searchs how African culture has passed unseen being in the roots of American culture, and in what ways it has enriched our civilization.
Introduction
The Silence of the World is a documentary promoted by UNESCO Chair on Afro- Ibero American Studies. Established by the University of Alcala in 1994, this UNESCO Chair
was born with the mission of studying, rehabilitating and recognizing Africanía (Black African legacy in the society and culture of Ibero American Nations). As a part of
the activities developed by Spanish UNESCO Chair on Afro-Ibero American Studies, Luis Beltrán y Repetto, the founder of the department and former chairman, and Luis Mancha
San Esteban chairman since 2013 launched this new project. The aim of this documentary project is to address the urgent need of making visible the Black African influence
on the American Continent.
This Project was inspired by The Slave Route Project, promoted by UNESCO in 1994, whose main goal was to break the silence and provide awareness about the causes and
consequences of the transatlantic slave trade including modern forms of slavery and racism. In this documentary we want to highlight the African contribution to American
culture and today’s way of living: music, dance, religion, character, food, technology, medicine, literature, musical instruments, political ideas…African culture is in
America’s DNA. To sum up the American cultural identity cannot be understood without reference to an African legacy even if we usually take this for granted.