In pics: International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade

The Ark of Return, the Permanent Memorial to honor the victims of slavery and the transatlantic slave trade, is seen at the Visitors' Plaza of the UN headquarters in New York, March 25, 2019. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)

BEIJING, March 25 (Xinhua) -- March 25 marks the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade. This International Day honors and remembers those who suffered and died as a consequence of the brutal transatlantic slave trade, and aims to raise awareness about the dangers of racism and prejudice today.

For over 400 years, more than 15 million men, women and children were the victims of the tragic transatlantic slave trade, one of the darkest chapters in human history.

On this special day, let's seize the occasion to demonstrate respect and understanding towards victims of slavery and to reinforce our determination to fight racism.

The Ark of Return, the Permanent Memorial to honor the victims of slavery and the transatlantic slave trade, is seen at the Visitors' Plaza of the UN headquarters in New York, March 26. 2018. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)

The Ark of Return, the Permanent Memorial to honor the victims of slavery and the transatlantic slave trade, is seen at the Visitors' Plaza of the UN headquarters in New York, March 25, 2019. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)

People take pictures of a newly unveiled permanent memorial named "Ark of Return" at the UN headquarters in New York, on March 25, 2015. The UN unveiled a permanent memorial at the UN Headquarters in New York to honor the victims of slavery and the transatlantic slave trade. (Xinhua/Niu Xiaolei)

Artists perform during a concert entitled "Forever Free: Celebrating Emancipation", at the United Nations headquarters in New York, on March 22, 2013. (Xinhua/Niu Xiaolei)

An artist performs during a concert entitled "Forever Free: Celebrating Emancipation", at the United Nations headquarters in New York, on March 22, 2013. The concert was part of a UN campaign to spotlight the significance of March 25, the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade. (Xinhua/Niu Xiaolei)

People look at illustrations on display during an exhibition commemorating the abolishment of slavery, at the United Nations (UN) headquarters in New York, on March 18, 2013. (Xinhua/Niu Xiaolei)

United Nations (UN) headquarters in New York, on March 18, 2013. (Xinhua/Niu Xiaolei)

People participate in a "Black Lives Matter" protest against racism and police brutality at Piazza Duca D'Aosta in Milan, Italy, June 7, 2020. (Photo by Daniele Mascolo/Xinhua)

The Emancipation Memorial is seen behind a fence and concrete blocks at Lincoln Park in Washington, D.C., the United States, on June 25, 2020. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

A boy is seen during a protest over the death of George Floyd in Prague, Czech Republic, on June 6, 2020. (Photo by Dana Kesnerova/Xinhua)

A sign is seen during protests against racial injustice to mark Juneteenth, commemorating the end of slavery in the United States, near the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States, June 19, 2020. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)