International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade
| International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade | |
|---|---|
| Observed by | globally |
| Type | International |
| Date | 25 March |
| Next time | 25 March 2017 |
| Frequency | annual |
International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade is a United Nations international observance designated in 2007 to be marked on 25 March every year.
The day honours and remembers those who suffered and died as a consequence of the transatlantic slave trade, which has been called "the worst violation of human rights in history",[1] in which over 400 years more than 15 million men, women and children were the victims.[2]
History
It was first observed in 2008 with the theme "Breaking the Silence, Lest We Forget".[3] The theme of 2015 is "Women and Slavery".[2] The International Day also "aims at raising awareness about the dangers of racism and prejudice today".[2]
With 2015 marking the start of the UN's International Decade for People of African Descent, a permanent memorial has been unveiled at the UN headquarters in New York,[4] entitled "The Ark of Return"[5] and designed by Haitian-American architect Rodney Leon, who also designed the African Burial Ground National Monument.[6]
References
- ↑ " International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade " at International Coalition of Sites of Conscience.
- 1 2 3 "International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade 25 March", United Nations.
- ↑ "International Day of Remembrance of Slavery Victims and the Transatlantic Slave Trade", timeanddate.com.
- ↑ "Unveiling of the Permanent Memorial to Honour the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade at the United Nations", UNESCO, 26 March 2015.
- ↑ "The Ark of Return: Lest We Forget", YouTube.
- ↑ Robert Bernstein, "The Arc of Return: The UN Unveils 'The Permanent Memorial to Honour the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade'", Island Voice, 1 April 2015.