Black Ribbon Day

Black Ribbon Day
Observed byEuropean Union, Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, Canada, United States and other countries
TypeInternational
SignificanceDay of remembrance for the victims of totalitarian and authoritarian regimes
DateAugust 23
Next time23 August 2025 (2025-08-23)
FrequencyAnnual

The Black Ribbon Day, officially known in the European Union as the European Day of Remembrance for Victims of Stalinism and Nazism and also referred to as the Europe-wide Day of Remembrance for the victims of all totalitarian and authoritarian regimes,[1][2] is an international day of remembrance for victims of totalitarianism regimes, specifically Stalinist, communist, Nazi and fascist regimes.[2][3] Formally recognised by the European Union, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe and some other countries, it is observed on 23 August. It symbolises the rejection of "extremism, intolerance and oppression" according to the European Union.[4] The purpose of the Day of Remembrance is to preserve the memory of the victims of mass deportations and exterminations, while promoting democratic values to reinforce peace and stability in Europe.[5] It is one of the two official remembrance days or observances of the European Union, alongside Europe Day.[4] Under the name Black Ribbon Day it is an official remembrance day of Canada.[6] The European Union has used both names alongside each other.[7]

The remembrance day has its origins in Cold War-era protests in Western countries against the Soviet Union that gained prominence in the years leading up to the Revolutions of 1989 and that inspired the 1989 Baltic Way, a major demonstration where two million people joined their hands to call for an end to the Soviet occupation. Canadian and other Western communities of refugees from the Soviet Union were instrumental in establishing the remembrance day in 1986. It was proposed as an official European remembrance day by Václav Havel, Joachim Gauck and a group of human rights activists and former political prisoners from Central and Eastern Europe during a conference organised by the Czech Government, and was formally designated by the European Parliament in 2008/2009 as "a Europe-wide Day of Remembrance for the victims of all authoritarian and totalitarian regimes, to be commemorated with dignity and impartiality";[2][3] it has been observed annually by the institutions of the European Union since 2009.[8][9][10] The European Parliament's 2009 resolution on European conscience and totalitarianism, co-sponsored by the European People's Party, the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe, The Greens–European Free Alliance, and the Union for Europe of the Nations, called for its implementation in all of Europe. The establishment of 23 August as an international remembrance day for victims of totalitarianism was also supported by the 2009 Vilnius Declaration of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly.[11]

23 August was chosen to coincide with the date of the signing of the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact, a 1939 non-aggression pact between the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany which contained a protocol dividing Romania, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and Finland into designated Soviet and German spheres of influence. The treaty was described by the European Parliament's president Jerzy Buzek in 2010 as "the collusion of the two worst forms of totalitarianism in the history of humanity."[8] The remembrance day is part of a common European response to Russian disinformation that seeks to deny Soviet war crimes and other atrocities and justify Soviet invasions and occupations. Vladimir Putin's Russian government has attacked it for its condemnation of Stalinism.[12] In a 2019 resolution, the European Parliament described the date of 23 August as important in pushing back against a Russian "information war waged against democratic Europe."[13] In 2022 European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen highlighted the remembrance day's importance in standing against "Russia's illegal and unjustified war against Ukraine."[14]

  1. ^ "Press corner" (PDF). European Commission – European Commission.
  2. ^ a b c "Declaration of the European Parliament on the proclamation of 23 August as European Day of Remembrance for Victims of Stalinism and Nazism". Europa.eu. 23 September 2008. Retrieved 10 May 2011.
  3. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference EP-Resolution was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ a b "EU begs citizens to reject extreme nationalism on European Day of Remembrance for Victims of Stalinism and Nazism". Deutsche Welle. 23 August 2017.
  5. ^ "EU Calendar: Remembrance Day for Victims of Stalinism and Nazism". Europa.eu. 23 August 2010. Archived from the original on 14 May 2011. Retrieved 10 May 2011.
  6. ^ Daniel Proussalidis (23 August 2011). "Victims of totalitarianism remembered". Toronto Sun. Archived from the original on 11 April 2017. Retrieved 23 August 2011.
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference EUCouncil2020 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Buzek was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference EU-Commission-on-23-August was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ "Annual European Day of Remembrance For Victims of Stalinism, Nazism". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 23 August 2012. Retrieved 23 August 2011.
  11. ^ Cite error: The named reference OSCE-Declaration was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  12. ^ Cite error: The named reference bbc was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  13. ^ Cite error: The named reference EP2019 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  14. ^ Cite error: The named reference leyen was invoked but never defined (see the help page).