25th March: International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery

Every year on 25 March, the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade offers the opportunity to honour and remember those who suffered and died at the hands of the brutal slavery system. International Day also aims to raise awareness about the dangers of racism and prejudice today.

As per the United Nations, for over 400 years, more than 15 million men – women and children – fell victim to the slave trade which is said to be “the worst violation of human rights in history”.

In order to more permanently honour the victims, a memorial has been erected at United Nations Headquarters in New York. The unveiling took place on 25 March 2015. The winning design for the memorial, The Ark of Return Video by Rodney Leon, an American architect of Haitian descent, was selected through an international competition and announced in September 2013.

The theme of 2021 is ‘Ending Slavery’s Legacy of Racism: A Global Imperative for Justice’. It reflects the need for a global effort to end injustice meted out to people through slavery. The theme also stresses the importance of educating people on the history of the transatlantic slave trade and slavery to propel a change on a global level. As per the United Nation, “The theme guides the Programme’s development of educational outreach and remembrance to mobilize action against prejudice, racism and injustice.”