Each year on March 25th, the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade is set aside to honor and remember those who suffered and died at the hands of slavery. The day also raises awareness about the dangers of racism and prejudice.
Between the 16th and 19th centuries, up to 17 million slaves were transported against their will from Africa to the Americas. Up to 2.4 million slaves died during the voyage. Millions more died soon after their arrival in the New World. Most of the people who were enslaved and transported came from Central and West Africa.
On December 17, 2007, the UN General Assembly designated March 25th as the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade. The commemorates the day in 1807 when the House of Commons and the House of Lords passed the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act. On March 25th, 2015, the UN unveiled a permanent memorial called the Ark of Return. The memorial was erected at the UN Headquarters in New York City to remember those who suffered and died during the slave trade.
No comments:
Post a Comment