The United Nations (UN’s) International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade is observed globally on 25 March each year to honor the millions who suffered under the transatlantic slave trade, regarded as one of the most severe human rights violations in history.
- The theme for 2025 International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade is “Acknowledge the past. Repair the present. Build a future of dignity and justice.”
Background:
i.On December 17, 2007, UN General Assembly (UNGA) adopted the resolution A/RES/62/122 and proclaimed the 25 March of every year as International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade.
ii.The first International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade was observed on 25 March 2008.
Transatlantic Slave Trade:
i.The Transatlantic Slave Trade was a brutal and inhumane system that forcibly transported over 15 million of African people to the Americas, Europe, and other parts of the world over 400 years between the 16th and 19th centuries.
ii.The enslaved people were then transported across the Atlantic Ocean to the Americas, where they were sold into forced labor.
iii.Many died during the brutal journey across the ocean, while those who survived faced a lifetime of enslavement, abuse, and separation from their families and cultures.
Similar Observance:
In 1997, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) established 23 August as the International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition. This day commemorates the 1791 uprising in Saint Domingue (now the Republic of Haiti).
UN Initiatives and Memorials:
1.Outreach Programme:
- Established via UNGA Resolution A/RES/61/19 on 28 November 2006.
- Mandates to educate about slavery’s history and honor victims through global awareness campaigns.
- Aims to inspire youth and civil society members to take a stand against racism.
2.The Ark of Return-UN Slavery Memorial:
- The UN’s Slavery Memorial, officially called The Ark of Return, is a permanent memorial dedicated to honoring the victims of slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade.
- Located at the UN Headquarters in New York City, United States of America (USA).
- Designed by Haitian-American architect Rodney Leon and unveiled in 2015.
