Each year the United Nations invites people all over the world to organize events that center on the theme of this day. Theatre companies, cultural organizations, musicians, and artists take part. They express their resistance against slavery through music, dance, and drama performances.

Educators inform people about the historical events connected to the slave trade and its consequences. They promote tolerance and human rights. Many organizations, including youth associations, government agencies, and non-governmental organizations, participate in the event to educate society about the negative consequences of slave trade.

Background

In 1791, an uprising began in Haiti and the Dominican Republic. The uprising had a major effect on stopping the transatlantic slave trade. The slave rebellion also contributed to giving the island its independence. It marked the beginning of the destruction of the slave trade and colonialism.

The International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition was first celebrated in many countries, starting with Haiti in 1998 and Senegal in 1999. Each year the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) reminds the international community to recognize those who worked hard to abolish the slave trade and slavery throughout the world. This commitment and the actions used to fight against the system of slavery had an impact on the human rights movement.

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