International Day of Remembrance of Victims of Slavery observed today

Kathmandu, March 25: The International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade is being observed worldwide today.

The day is marked by reaffirming commitments to human rights, equality and social justice. A special memorial programme is being आयोजित at the headquarters of the United Nations in New York.

In 2006, the UN General Assembly recognised slavery and the transatlantic slave trade as among the gravest violations of human rights. It was later designated March 25, 2007, to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade. The first global observance of the day took place in 2008.

The date also holds historical significance as the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act 1807 was passed in the United Kingdom on March 25, 1807, declaring the slave trade illegal.

This year, the day is being observed under the theme “Justice in Action: Confronting History, Advancing Dignity, Empowering Futures.”