United Nations (UN)’s International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade is annually observed across the globe on March 25 to honour and remember those who suffered and died as a consequence of the transatlantic slave trade.
- International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade 2023 was observed on 25th March 2023 under the theme “Fighting slavery’s legacy of racism through transformative education”.
Background:
i. The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted the resolution A/RES/62/122 on 17th December 2007 and proclaimed March 25 of every year as the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade.
- The resolution also called for the establishment of an outreach programme to mobilize educational institutions, civil society and other organizations to inculcate in future generations the “causes, consequences and lessons of the transatlantic slave trade, and to communicate the dangers of racism and prejudice”.
ii. The 1st ever International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade was observed on 25th March 2008.
Outreach Program on the Transatlantic Slave Trade and Slavery:
The UNGA adopted resolution A/RES/61/19 on November 28, 2006, establishing the Outreach Program on the Transatlantic Slave Trade and Slavery.
Transatlantic Slave Trade:
i. The transatlantic slave trade, which has been called “the worst violation of human rights in history”, was the largest forced and most inhumane migration in history.
ii. The transatlantic slave trade, often known as the triangular trade, lasted for over 400 years.
iii. Millions of African children, women, and men were snatched from their families and trafficked over the Atlantic.
- Their communities had been torn apart, their bodies had been turned into commodities, and their humanity was denied.
iv. As a direct result of the transatlantic slave trade, around 96% of African captives migrated to South America and the Caribbean Islands on slave ships.
2023 Remembrance Programme:
i. On 30th March 2023, a keynote lecture by Bryan Stevenson & Panel Discussion about Museums and the Transatlantic Slave Trade titled, “Beyond Colonial Histories” will be hosted.
ii. The events regarding the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade have been hosted from 27th February and conclude on 30th February 2023.
iii. For the 1st time, a youth representative will also address the General Assembly. Taylor Cassidy, an activist and TikTok creator, is bringing Black history to millions of people through social media posts.
Memorial:
i. In 2007, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution A/RES/62/122 to establish a Permanent Memorial on the grounds of the United Nations in New York City to honour the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade.
- The Permanent Memorial Committee and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization(UNESCO) jointly launched a design competition in 2011.
ii. Among 310 entries from 83 countries, The Ark of Return by Rodney Leon, an American architect of Haitian descent, was chosen.
About the United Nations:
Secretary-General- António Guterres
Headquarters- New York, USA
Establishment- 1945
