Genocide Prevention Day

Genocide Prevention Day Quick Facts - AU

AKA Name"International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime"
HashtagsCompiled on#StopHazaraGenocide‌‌
Related Hashtags#Genocide, #PreventGenocide, #AmharaGenocide, #Tigray
2023 Date9 December 2023
2024 Date9 December 2024

Genocide Prevention Day

Genocide Prevention Day is a global observance aimed at raising awareness about the atrocities of genocide and educating individuals about the importance of prevention and intervention. The day serves as a reminder of the need for vigilance and global cooperation to combat mass atrocities and protect human rights. The observance also honours the victims and survivors of genocide throughout history, with an emphasis on learning from past mistakes to ensure the prevention of future instances.

Though Genocide Prevention Day is not specifically Australian in origin, this observance is essential, given the country's role in international peacekeeping and humanitarian efforts. Australia has a history of participating in and supporting international peacekeeping missions, particularly those aimed at preventing genocide and mass violence. Learning about past genocides and their implications has been deemed crucial for Australian citizens to cultivate empathy, enhance cultural understanding, and contribute to the global efforts in preventing future genocides.

The Australian government, educational institutions, and various non-government organisations (NGOs) observe Genocide Prevention Day by organising seminars, workshops, and educational programs to enhance public understanding of the importance of genocide prevention and intervention. These events may involve guest speakers, panel discussions, and presentations, helping to raise awareness of this crucial issue. Though there is no specific date for Genocide Prevention Day observed in Australia, it generally coincides with international observations, allowing Australians to join forces with global communities in the shared commitment to preventing genocide and fostering a just and peaceful world.

Genocide Prevention Day facts

  • According to the U.N High Commissioner for Refugees agency, over 68 million people around the world are displaced due to conflict and persecution.
  • The word genocide was created in 1944 by lawyer Raphael Lemkin. It comes from the Greek word genos, meaning family, tribe, or race, and the Latin suffix –cide, meaning killing.
  • The Genocide Convention defines genocide as any of the following acts:
    a) Killing members of a group
    b) Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of a group
    c) Deliberately inflicting on a group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part
    d) Imposing measures intended to prevent births within a group
    e) Forcibly transferring children of a group to another group

Top things to do in Australia for Genocide Prevention Day

  • Learn the history of genocidal events to help prevent future incidents. There have been efforts to deny or rewrite history regarding genocidal events, most notably by the Turkish government. They have continued to deny their part in the Armenian genocide. Attempts to deny responsibility or alter reality allow oppressive regimes to continue unabated and it opens the door for future incidents to occur.

Copyright 2002-2023 © Sapro Systems LLC • About Privacy Policy License Terms Corrections & Suggestions

spacer