The United Nations is leading celebrations in Paris, as the world commemorates the end of slavery. (Hat tip: Luigi.)

Teensy problem. Slavery hasn’t really ended. But that’s no reason to call off the party.

Events are being held worldwide to mark the abolition of the slave trade and to highlight the fact that millions still live as slaves in all but name.

The United Nations is leading the celebrations in Paris, while a new slavery museum is to open in the US state of Ohio later on Monday.

Senegal is holding a commemoration on Goree Island, once a major transit centre for the slave trade.

A UN official said the full extent of slavery had still to be recognised. …

Koichiro Matsuura, head of Unesco, described slavery as an “unprecedented tragedy… concealed for many years and… yet to be fully recognised”.

“Although abolished and penalised in international instruments, [slavery] is still practised in new forms that today affect millions of men, women and children across the world,” he said.

And to help us visualize the world’s “new forms” of slavery, the BBC helpfully provides a chart of “modern slavery” with the United States featured prominently in first place. (Listed in geographical order, they note in the fine print.)