European Day of Remembrance of Victims of Terrorism

The European Day for Remembrance of Victims of Terrorism is a date created by the European Commission with the aim of commemorating the terrorist attack suffered by Spain on March 11, 2004. It is a tribute to the victims of such a regrettable event that occurred in Madrid. How did the European Day of Remembrance for Victims of Terrorism originate?
The decree for the European Day of Remembrance for Victims of Terrorism was the result of the terrorist attack of which Spain was a victim on March 11, 2004. It was in the European Parliament, where, by a majority of votes, it was approved by the European Council. The approval took place on March 25, 2004, and the date to be celebrated every March 11 was established. However, the commemoration of this date has never had a great projection in European institutions and there are no known diplomatic movements for this date to be established as an international or world day by the United Nations.

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It was in 2017 when the UN General Assembly decreed August 21 as the International Day of Remembrance of and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism, thus ignoring the date of March 11.

Consequences of Terrorism in the World

Globally, terrorism has caused devastating consequences, with Iraq being one of the most affected nations. Economically, it has caused great losses, without disregarding the number of victims and material damage. Other countries punished by this terrible scourge are Syria, Libya, Afghanistan and South Sudan. Very few countries are spared from terrorism. The method used by terrorists to attack and produce a state of barbarity has been through the implementation of explosive devices, assault using firearms, and the kidnapping of victims.

Strategies Adopted by the UN to Combat Global Terrorism

Due to the global impact that terrorism has had in recent years worldwide, it was necessary for the United Nations to take action to combat the violence, damage, and death that these armed groups have caused. In fact, precisely the United Nations has proclaimed August 21 as the International Day of Remembrance of and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism, a product of the immense number of attacks that are occurring in the world. Other actions we can highlight are the following:

• Implement a series of strategies and plans to help combat terrorism.
• Address the attacks or any type of damage that these attacks may leave to their victims.
• Cooperate and create alliances with Member States, to help prevent and combat terrorist actions globally.
• Combine efforts to ensure that the universal right to life prevails and continue the fight against terrorism.

How to Celebrate the European Day of Remembrance of Victims of Terrorism?

The celebration of the European Day of Remembrance for Victims of Terrorism is a way to honor all the victims who have been left with after-effects or who have unfortunately lost their lives due to terrorist attacks. Commemorating such a sad date is also a way of vindicating the relatives of these people who have lost their loved ones or who are still dealing with them and who, despite having survived the attacks, have been left with some type of disability.

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As part of society, our role should be to carry a message of love and avoid violence as much as possible. In this sense, the media and new technologies have a very important role in the formation of values such as respect, tolerance, and love in the new generations.