Benin, once a major hub of the transatlantic slave trade, has introduced a new citizenship initiative called 'My Afro Origins' to reconnect descendants of enslaved Africans with their ancestral homeland. The program grants citizenship to people whose forebears were taken from Benin and surrounding regions as slaves, aiming to foster reconciliation and cultural revival. In July 2024, American singer Lauryn Hill and entrepreneur-filmmaker Tonya Lewis Lee received Beninese citizenship, while Lee and her husband, filmmaker Spike Lee, were appointed as ambassadors to the African-American community. The initiative seeks both symbolic healing and practical benefits, such as attracting talent, investment, and tourism. Experts note that while Benin’s past as part of the Dahomey Kingdom’s slave trade remains painful, the country is now using cultural diplomacy and heritage tourism to rebuild ties with the African diaspora. The government hopes this effort will promote unity, economic growth, and a shared sense of identity among Africans worldwide.