Confront your colonial past, Council of Europe tells Portugal

Portugal must ‘tackle racist biases against people of African descent’, Europe’s top rights group says.

Europe’s top human rights group said on Wednesday that Portugal must do more to confront its colonial past and role in the transatlantic slave trade in order to help fight racism and discrimination in the country today. The comments by the Council of Europe come as debate in Portugal over how to remember its history heated up in recent months as the country prepares to unveil its first memorial to victims of slavery, in Lisbon. The memorial – rows of palm trees painted in black – was designed by Angolan artist Kiluanji Kia Henda and funded by the Lisbon council. It will stand in the centre of the city.