International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and Its Abolition

International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and Its Abolition

International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and Its Abolition aims to raise awareness of the tragedy and consequences of the transatlantic slave trade, as well as to honour the memory of millions of lives devastated by it. The observance brings to light the importance of teaching and learning about the history of the slave trade, while also recognizing the global fight against racism and inequality. By addressing the brutality and injustices experienced by enslaved Africans, the day serves as a call to action in promoting understanding, freedom, and human rights for all.

Established by UNESCO in 1997, the day commemorates the Haitian Revolution, a significant event in the history of the fight against slavery. For South Africans, this day holds particular relevance as the country has its own history with slavery. From the mid-17th until the early 19th century, the Dutch East India Company brought slaves from Madagascar, India, Indonesia, and East Africa to South Africa, leaving an enduring impact on the local culture and society. The remembrance serves as a means to acknowledge South Africa's past and to forge a more unified and just future.

In South Africa, the International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and Its Abolition is observed with informative events and discussions that highlight the importance of learning from this dark chapter in history. South African institutions, including museums and universities, participate in global networks that support the education and understanding of the transatlantic slave trade. The observance takes place annually on August 23rd, joining together with the rest of the world in remembrance and in the building of a fairer, more just society.

Facts about this day

• According to gilderlehrman.org, from 1526 to 1867, some 12.5 million slaves were shipped from Africa. Only about 10.7 million arrived in the Americas.
• About 90% of enslaved Africans were imported into the Caribbean and South America. Despite this, by 1825, the US population included about 1/4 of the people of African descent in the New World.
• The legacy of slavery and segregation has resulted in ongoing economic disparities between different racial and ethnic groups in many societies across the globe.
• At the height of the slave trade in the 18th century, the slave population in the Cape Colony, the primary region for slavery in South Africa, had grown to over 60,000 people. This constituted around half of the total population.
• In Cape Town, the Slave Lodge (now the Iziko Slave Lodge) is an essential reminder of slavery in South Africa. Built in 1679, it initially housed thousands of slaves, and today it functions as a museum that displays the history of Cape Town's slave trade.

In the News and Trending in South Africa for International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and Its Abolition

Top things to do in South Africa for this observance

• Learn more about UNESCO's Slave Route Project. Their project focuses on raising awareness about the slave trade and slavery. It hopes to highlight the cultural interactions that have resulted from global slavery.
• Listen to an episode of UN and Africa. This podcast features constitutional law professor Gloria Browne-Marshall as she discusses the effects of the transatlantic slave trade.
• Visit Iziko Slave Lodge museum in Cape Town. Originally built in 1679, the lodge housed slaves who worked for the Dutch East India Company. The museum displays exhibitions on the lives of slaves, their descendants, and the history of slavery in South Africa.
• Visit the District Six Museum, which commemorates the forced removal of more than 60,000 inhabitants of District Six. District Six was a once thriving multi-ethnic community in Cape Town. District Six was declared a whites-only area in 1966, and many of its former residents were descendants of slaves.

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