The International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief is a holiday observed annually on the 22nd of August. It honors the survivors of religion-based violence and encourages all of us to come together to stop future acts of religious intolerance and violence.

This day also calls on the international community to reject hate and exclusion in society and to end violent acts driven by a person’s or group’s beliefs or religion. It was first established in 2019 and has been observed ever since to spread its message to everyone willing and capable of hearing it.

History Of The International Day Commemorating The Victims Of Acts Of Violence Based On Religion or Belief

The holiday was first established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2019. They created the day to support the international community’s commitment to survivors of genocide based on ethnicity and/or religious belief.

It is the firm belief of the drafters of this holiday that protecting religious rights is the duty of every individual as well as every government. This includes not only a person’s right to practice the religion of their choice but also the right of people to choose not to practice a particular religion or any religion at all.

Some Quick Facts About Religious Discrimination

To put a fine point on the problem of religious discrimination and intolerance, we decided to do some research and find out everything we could on the subject. The result is the following list of facts that we feel will properly highlight the gravity of the situation and will hopefully compel people to act in defense of those suffering from religious discrimination.

• Religious hostilities increased in every major region of the world in 2012.
• Although Muslims make up the second-largest religious population in the world, they faced discrimination in 121 countries between 2005 and 2011.
• In 2013, women were harassed in nearly 30% of countries worldwide due to religious dress.

Observing The International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief

This holiday can be first observed by spreading the news about it. This can be done by telling friends and family members about it or sharing it on the Internet using the hashtag #CommemoratingVictimsOfViolenceBasedOnReligion.

People can also observe this day by speaking out against religious intolerance and prejudice. It’s a good day for individuals to educate themselves on the subject of religious intolerance and find out what they can do to help.

All around the world, UN member states observe this holiday with exhibitions, seminars, webinars, and other educational events designed to spread the word about the problem of religious intolerance.