What is International Day for Remembrance of Slave Trade and its Abolition and why is it observed?

International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition will be observed on Wednesday, August 23. It commemorates the day when an uprising began in Saint Domingue, now called Haiti, on August 23, 1791, against the slave trade. Haiti was a French settlement and a centre of the slave trade across Europe. The uprising led to a revolution against the rulers of the country.

Slave Trade

The day of the uprising was commemorated for the first time in 1998. It was designated by UNESCO and was also observed in Senegal in 1999. The slave trade was rampant in Europe those days and people from Africa and Asia were traded. Slaves were transported to the colonial settlements of Haiti, the Caribbean Islands, and other parts of the world. The international slave trade was abolished on March 25, 1807.

UNESCO Initiative

UNESCO observes this day to remind the people "to continue to analyse and criticise such practices that may transform into modern forms of slavery and exploitation". The day is observed to remember and honour those who were dehumanised under the cruel system.

The Slave Route

UNESCO has launched a project called "The Slave Route", to collectively remember the situation, causes, methods, and consequences of the slave trade. It also sets the stage for analysis and study of human trafficking and the slave trade in Asia, Africa, the Americas, and the Caribbean Islands.

FAQs:

Q1. When and why the International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition is observed?
A1. The International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition is observed every year on August 23 to commemorate the uprising in 1791 against the slave trade.

Q2. What is "The Slave Route"?
A2. "The Slave Route" is a UNESCO-led project to analyse and study the causes, methods, and consequences of the slave trade.