Basic Information
International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime is an annual event observed on 9 December to raise awareness about Genocide Convention and its role in combating and preventing the crime of genocide, as defined in the Convention, and to commemorate and honour its victims. The day is also called as World Genocide Commemoration Day.
Observed on: December 9
Organized by: UN
Introduced in: 2015 (UN Proclamation)
Observed: Worldwide
About International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime
UN General Assembly established 9 December as the International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime in September 2015. The date 9 December is the anniversary of the adoption of the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (the “Genocide Convention”).
The day is observed with an aim to raise awareness of the Genocide Convention and its role in combating and preventing the crime of genocide, as defined in the Convention, and to commemorate and honour its victims.
Article 2 of Genocide Convention defines genocide as “any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group … “, including:
- Killing members of the group;
- Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group;
- Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part;
- Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group;
- Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group.
Activities and Programs on World Genocide Commemoration Day
Actions and programs are arranged on the day to prevent future genocides and honor victims of past genocides. The observance encourages nations to support actions to prevent genocides. Discussions, seminars and campaigns are done on the day to give honor to victims and prevent future genocide. Programs on the day also gives opportunity for survivors of genocides to share their experience to others.