On the night of 22 to 23 August 1791, in Saint Domingue, known today as the Republic of Haiti, saw the beginning of the uprising that would play a crucial role in the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade. It is against this background that the International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition is observed annually on August 23. The day raises awareness about the horrifying nature of the slave trade and reminds people about its implications. We reflect on the impact of the slave trade and celebrate the people from London to Haiti that assisted in it’s abolishment.

Since UNESCO’s launch of the intercultural Project, The Routes of the Enslaved Peoples in 1994, UNESCO continues to work to promote and recognize the history of black people with a view to consolidating the values of tolerance and respect in the minds of young people.

The Routes of the Enslaved Peoples Project traces the countries and peoples involved in the slave trade from the ports of Britian and France, to the West African coast and the Americas. The intercultural UNESCO project is an opportunity for collective recognition and focus on the historic causes, the methods and the consequences of slavery.

To commemorate International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition, the Saint Lucia National Commission for UNESCO encourages the public to recognize, exercise and celebrate their human rights but also remember the victims of the past so they may help encourage our future generation to build a more just society.