International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
The International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination is observed annually on 21 March since declared by the United Nations in 1966. In South Africa, the country in which the event took place that gave rise to the observance, the Sharpeville Massacre, the day is commemorated as Human Rights Day, and is a public holiday. Background
On 21 March 1960, police opened fire at a peaceful demonstration in Sharpeville, South Africa, against the pass laws. In the event known as the Sharpeville massacre, 69 people were killed and 180 injured. Proclaiming the day in 1966, the United Nations General Assembly called on the international community to redouble its efforts to eliminate all forms of racial discrimination. Human Rights Day in South Africa
In South Africa, the day has been commemorated on 21 March each year as a public holiday called Human Rights Day since 1994, when Nelson Mandela was elected president of a new democratic South Africa. The day is regarded as a day of mourning by some, commemorating the lives of those who died to fight for democracy and equal human rights for all in South Africa during apartheid, an institutionally racist system built upon racial discrimination. On this day, the government asks that "South Africans... reflect on their rights, to protect their rights and the rights of all people from violation, irrespective of race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, whether they are foreign national or not". The South African Constitution, established in 1996, stands as a fundamental element of Human Rights Day, safeguarding the rights of every individual. Renowned for its dedication to social justice and human rights, it upholds crucial principles such as equality, freedom of speech, and the right to a just legal process. Themes 
Every year, the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination is under one specific theme:
 2010: Disqualify Racism
 2014: The Role of Leaders in Combatting Racism and Racial Discrimination
 2015: Learning from tragedies to combat racial discrimination today
 2017: Racial profiling and incitement to hatred, including in the context of migration
 2018: Promoting tolerance, inclusion, unity and respect for diversity in the context of combating racial discrimination
 2019: Mitigating and countering rising nationalist populism and extreme supremacist ideologies
 2020: Recognition, justice and development: The midterm review of the International Decade for People of African Descent
 2022: Voices for action against racism
 2023: 75th anniversary of UDHR - an impetus to combat racism

See also
 European Action Week Against Racism, around 21 March

Footnotes

References

External links

 

Civil awareness days
Elimination of Racism
International opposition to apartheid in South Africa
March observances