2014 Remembrance Programme
"Victory over Slavery: Haiti and Beyond"
For over 400 years, more than 15 million men, women and children were the victims of the tragic transatlantic slave trade, one of the darkest chapters in human history.
Every year on 25 March, the International Day of Remembrance for the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade offers the opportunity to honour and remember those who suffered and died at the hands of the brutal slavery system. The International Day also aims at raising awareness about the dangers of racism and prejudice today.
In order to more permanently honour the victims, a memorial will be erected at United Nations Headquarters in New York. The winning design for the memorial, The Ark of Return by Rodney Leon, an American architect of Haitian descent, was selected through an international competition and announced in September 2013.
The 2014 theme, “Victory over Slavery: Haiti and Beyond” paid tribute to the fight against slavery in nations around the world. Haiti was the first nation to become independent as a result of the struggle of enslaved men and women led by Toussaint Louverture. 2014 marked 210 years since the Republic of Haiti was established on January 1, 1804.
2014 also marked the 20th anniversary of the UNESCO Slave Route Project, launched in Ouidah, Benin, in 1994, which decided to break the silence surrounding the slave trade and slavery. The project has produced multimedia educational materials, available for educators, pupils, and the general public.
Message of the United Nations Secretary-General | Calendar of events
Message of the United Nations Secretary-General for 2014
Each year on this day we honour the memory of the millions of men, women and children who endured the curse of slavery. By recalling the causes, consequences and lessons of the transatlantic slave trade, we recommit to educating current and future generations of the dangers of racism and prejudice.
The theme of this year’s observance is “Victory over Slavery: Haiti and Beyond”. It pays tribute to the fight against slavery in nations around the world and marks 210 years since the Republic of Haiti became the first nation to win independence as a result of the struggle of enslaved men and women. We are also marking the 20th anniversary of the UNESCO Slave Route Project, launched to break the silence surrounding the slave trade and its consequences.
At United Nations Headquarters, work is under way on a Permanent Memorial to the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade. It will stand as a constant reminder of the courage of slaves, abolitionists and unsung heroes who helped end the oppression of slavery. It will promote greater recognition of the contributions that slaves and their descendants have made in their societies.
I hope the Memorial will also be a source of inspiration in the continuing fight against the many forms of slavery that still exist today. Around the world, millions of people are subject to human trafficking, debt bondage, sexual slavery and domestic servitude while the perpetrators of these violations of human rights operate with impunity.
On this day, let us remember the abuses of the past and intensify our efforts to end those of the present.
Calendar of Events
In 2014, in addition to the formal annual observance of the International Day, during the week of 25 March, a series of worldwide commemorative activities were held throughout the year. Events included solemn ceremonies, a film festival, cultural events, debates and exhibitions.
General Assembly Commemorative Meeting
Tuesday, 25 March 2014, 3:00 pm, General assembly Hall, United Nations, New York
Followed by a performance
Cultural Event
Tuesday, 25 March 2014, 6:30 pm, Dag Hammarskj?ld Auditorium and Visitors Centre, United Nations, New York
Wednesday, 26 March, 2014, 9:30 am, Conference Room 2, Conference Building, United Nations, New York
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Thursday, 27 March, 2014, 11:00 am-1:00 pm, Conference Room 2, Conference Building, United Nations, New York