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Opportunities to Raise Awareness

International Holocaust Remembrance Day - January 27

In 2005, the U.N. General Assembly designated January 27 an annual International Day of Commemoration in memory of the victims of the Holocaust. The date marks the anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi concentration camp Auschwitz-Birkenau by Soviet troops on January 27, 1945.

International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery - March 25

On December 17, 2007, the U.N. General Assembly designated March 25th as the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade, commemorating the day in 1807 when the British Parliament passed the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act. The U.N. also called for the establishment of an outreach program to mobilize educational institutions, civil society and other organizations to inculcate in future generations the "causes, consequences and lessons of the transatlantic slave trade, and to communicate the dangers of racism and prejudice."

International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide in Rwanda - April 7

In 2003, the U.N. General Assembly declared April 7 the International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide in Rwanda, an international day of reflection and recommitment to the fight against genocide throughout the world. The date marks the beginning of the genocide perpetrated against members of the Tutsi minority by the Hutu extremist-led government. Within just over 100 days, more than a million Tutsi were systematically murdered.

Yom HaShoa - 27 Nisan

Established by the Israeli Knesset in 1953, Holocaust and Heroes' Remembrance Day — Yom Hashoah in Hebrew — is a national day of commemoration in Israel. The date falls in April or May each year, corresponding to the 27th day of Nisan on the Hebrew calendar. It marks the anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising.

World Day for Cultural Diversity - May 21

In 2001, UNESCO adopted the Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity, which said in part: "...cultural diversity is as necessary for humankind as biodiversity is for nature. In this sense, it is the common heritage of humanity and should be recognized and affirmed for the benefit of present and future generations." In December 2002, the UN General Assembly declared May 21 as the World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development.

World Refugee Day - June 20

In 2000, the United Nations declared June 20 to be World Refugee Day to celebrate the strength and courage of people who have been forced to flee their home country to escape conflict or persecution. It is an occasion to build empathy and understanding for their plight and to recognize their resilience in rebuilding their lives.

International Day for Tolerance - November 16

In 1995, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) adopted its Declaration of Principles on Tolerance and designated November 16 the annual International Day for Tolerance. "Tolerance is respect, acceptance and appreciation of the rich diversity of our world's cultures, our forms of expression and ways of being human. It is fostered by knowledge, openness, communication, and freedom of thought, conscience and belief."

International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide - December 9

In 2015, the U.N. General Assembly established December 9 as the International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime. December 9 is the anniversary of the adoption of the 1948 Genocide Convention, the first human rights treaty adopted by the General Assembly, which, for the first time in history, codified genocide as a crime.