Inauguration of Yao Metsoko's Memorial to the Victims of Slavery

Photo Credits: Instagram villesaintouen - Marwen Farhat

Inauguration of Yao Metsoko's Memorial to the Victims of Slavery   

On Saturday, May 10th 2025, the city of Saint-Ouen, France, inaugurated a new sculpture by Yao Metsoko to mark the French National Day of Memory of the Slave Trade, Slavery and its Abolition (Journée nationale des mémoires de la traite, de l'esclavage et de leur abolition). This day was chosen as a reference to the 10th of May 2001, the date on which the French Senate officially recognised the slave trade and slavery as crimes against Humanity.  

To commemorate this day, French-Togolose artist Yao Metsoko in collaboration with French sculptor Marc Guillermin, created a powerful memorial: a sculpture paying tribute to the women, men and children who were forced into slavery, their voices and memories echoing through time. 

“This work is a tribute to Africa’s ancient cultures [...] This memory is important, and we bring it to life so it can continue to inspire the people of Saint-Ouen, and beyond.” 
Yao Metsoko (translated from French)   

The stele, now standing in Parc François-Mittérand of Saint-Ouen, was inaugurated by the city's Mayor, Karim Bouamrane, local officials, and associations. The event marked a moment of reflection, with the mayor expressing that “the duty of memory is not an option, it is a responsibility.”