International Day of Remembrance for Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief (22/08)

In May 2019, the UN General Assembly (resolution A/RES/73/296) established a new commemorative date — International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief, celebrated annually on August 22, the day after the International Day of Remembrance and Remembrance for Victims of Terrorism.

The history of mankind knows enough examples of the death of people who became hostages and victims of violence caused by religious or any other beliefs. Ideology and beliefs, as practice shows, turn out to be not so harmless and defenseless due to their intangible essence.

The ability to act decisively and cruelly is often associated with the psychological impact on a person’s consciousness of external intangible factors, which include beliefs of various types (religious, political, social, racial and others).

In most cases of mass confrontation and ill-treatment of people of other beliefs, one of the most important prerequisites is the manipulation of consciousness and feelings through a system of beliefs, ideas and values.

History provides many examples of people becoming victims of acts of violence based on religion or belief. Suffice it to recall the persecution of Christians in Ancient Rome, which resulted in mass painful executions, the cruelty of Christian knights towards Muslims in captured cities during the Crusades, the confrontation between Catholics and Protestants, etc.

These days, when the inadmissibility of any manifestation of violence based on religion or belief is clear, when humanity must have realized the horrors of all historical examples of discrimination and loss of life, cases of violence continue to occur, including those of a massive nature against people for reasons of religious intolerance or based on beliefs.

By establishing a new memorable date, the UN General Assembly calls on all government and non-governmental organizations, representatives of all religious denominations to remember the victims and deaths of people who were victims of acts of violence based on religion and belief.

This call is addressed to all humanity. It is aimed at disseminating humanistic principles of social development and building relationships between people based on dialogue and tolerance.

In its resolution, the UN condemns any manifestation of violence based on religion and belief, both against a person and against his property, home, cultural property, temples, schools, etc.

Notable examples of acts of violence against civilians based on religion and belief were the actions of ISIS militants (the organization’s activities are prohibited on the territory of the Russian Federation) in Syria, attacks on mosques in New Zealand, violence against Christians in Sri Lanka, as well as — war crimes of Ukrainian punitive forces and nationalists against the civilian population of Donbass...

The UN appeals to states, international, humanitarian and religious organizations and communities not only to honor the memory of the victims, but also to provide assistance to those affected by acts of violence. The main call is to prevent the recurrence of violence based on religion and belief.



Postcard «22 August — International Day of Remembrance for Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief»

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