"This burden belongs neither to the black man nor the white man, neither to the North nor the South; it is a burden for all of us."
Dr. Esra Albayrak, daughter of Turkish President Erdogan and Chair of the Board of Trustees of NUN Education and Culture Foundation, spoke at the World Decolonization Forum in Istanbul on May 11. In her address, she rebutted Rudyard Kipling’s 1899 poem ‘The White Man’s Burden’, which historically justified colonialism. She rejected both the “White Man’s Burden” and “Black Man’s Burden” concepts, instead proposing the “Burden of Humanity”, a vision in which human dignity is upheld equally for all, stating that “the children of Palestine are just as valuable as the children of Ukraine”.
Taking place in Istanbul on May 11–12, the World Decolonization Forum is organised as an international platform to discuss decolonisation, global justice, and the legacy of colonialism. The event brings together academics, activists, politicians, and civil society representatives from various countries. It aims to challenge traditional Western-centric narratives and promote alternative visions for a more equitable world order.
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