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

This day was designated by UNESCO at its 150th session. During the night of August 22 to August 23, 1791, on the island of Saint Domingue (now known as Haiti), an uprising began which set forth events which were a major factor in the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade. UNESCO invites all Member states of the United Nations to take part in memorial events. Despite the fact that slavery was abolished and condemned at the international level, it still exists in alternative forms and affects millions of people worldwide. According to the UN report every year millions of people, mainly women and children, are becoming victims of deception and violence, turning into "live goods" and subjects for exploitation.