International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition

International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition is dedicated to the memory of people who worked hard without pay for the enrichment of others, who died from torture and unbearable working and living conditions. Slavery is an unseemly historical fact. We should not forget this horrendous form of violence against other people, which continued until the end of the 19th century. Experts have found that from the 15th to the 19th century, more than 13 million people suffered from slavery.

History

In the French colony of Saint-Domingue on the island of Haiti, by the end of the 19th century, there were about half a million slaves. Every year their number was reduced by 2-5%: the conditions of their life in slavery were so difficult. In 1791, on the night of August 22-23, an “army” of many men and women exhausted by the planters, led by the former slave Toussaint Louverture, rebelled against their masters. The uprising, which grew into a real revolution, was the only successful slave rebellion in history. This revolution led to Haiti’s declaration of independence on January 1, 1804. Haiti is the first state in Latin America that managed to gain independence from the colonialists, defeating the forces of France, Spain and Great Britain – the 3 superpowers of Europe in the 18-19 centuries. In 1998, the date of the international day was determined by UNESCO – August 23.

Interesting facts

Another celebration of this dramatic holiday has been held since 2016 in London, on Trafalgar Square, at the initiative of the Slave Memorial Day organization. This holiday is called Sankofa Day. The word “Sankofa” in the Ghanaian language Twi means a return to the origins, which symbolizes the longing of the slaves for their homeland. There is a proverb in this language: “There is nothing wrong with returning for the forgotten.”

How to celebrate

This impressive international day is celebrated at the initiative of the United Nations. Various events are organized. These are various information programs, concerts and performances. They involve teachers and students, cultural communities and everyone. You:

1. You can also participate in them.
2. Tell your friends about the holiday in social networks, many people do not know about it.

When is International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition celebrated in 2022?

International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition is observed on August 23 each year.

Observations