UK Reparations Conference Held at Friends House

A national conference on reparations for the enslavement of African peoples, held at Quaker central offices in London, has called for a parliamentary inquiry into truth and reparatory justice. The 2026 UK Reparations Conference, titled “From Resolution to Repair,” was organized by the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Afrikan Reparations. This event marks a continuation of efforts to address historical injustices tied to colonialism and enslavement.

The conference will be followed by a Quaker event, “Truth and Repair: Our Quaker Journey Towards Justice,” which will take place this Friday. The concluding statement of Saturday’s conference urged the APPG to establish an All-Party Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry for Truth and Reparatory Justice. This call reflects a growing recognition of the need for systemic examination and redress of past harms.

Speakers at the conference included Ghana’s Foreign Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, and Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP, who chairs the APPG. Other participants were Diane Abbott MP, Dawn Butler MP, and Richard Reddie, director of justice and inclusion at Churches Together in Britain and Ireland. Professor Verene Shepherd, vice-chair of the CARICOM Reparations Commission, emphasized that racial injustice cannot be fully addressed without repairing the harms of colonialism and enslavement.

Esther Xosei of Stop the Maangamizi stressed that every stage of the reparations process must itself be reparatory. Ovaherero genocide activist Florence Mbahupa Handura highlighted the necessity of involving affected communities directly in decisions about truth, justice, and reparations. These voices underscore the importance of inclusive and equitable processes in addressing historical wrongs.

The conference followed a year of international developments, including a UN General Assembly resolution in March and an African Union and CARICOM plan in June. Faith institutions were a central theme, with discussions on what churches owe for their historic links to enslavement. Quakers have acknowledged their own role in the transatlantic trafficking of enslaved Africans and colonialism, and hosting this conference is part of their ongoing work toward reconciliation.

In 2022, Quakers committed to considering how to make meaningful reparation for their historical involvement. Two Quaker meetings have issued formal apologies since then. In 2025, Lancashire Quakers acknowledged that members of Lancaster Monthly Meeting trafficked more than 3,600 African people. In July, Bristol Area Quaker Meeting apologized after research revealed that Bristol Quakers funded over 70 voyages that trafficked enslaved Africans.

Marguerita Remi-Judah, co-clerk of the Quakers in Britain Reparation Working Group, participated in the conference and spoke at the launch of the Global Reparations Hub. Online registration for Britain Yearly Meeting’s “Truth and Repair” conference has closed, but attendance via Zoom is still possible with confirmation. Those interested can contact Equity@quaker.org.uk with their name and affiliated Quaker community.

Source: Read the original report