When is World Day for International Justice?
July 17th is the World Day for International Justice.
What is World Day for International Justice?
We fight for safety. People should not have to fear assaults on their dignity, but the last hundred years taught us that cruel people will do horrific things, given the opportunity. Everybody needs justice, so the World Day for International Justice celebrates the rise of the international court system while advocating for fair dealing in all places.
Our capacity for inhumanity has grown, but so has international justice. Genocide, slavery, torture, mass rape: these all defy the principles of basic human dignity. People committed terrible acts against their fellow humans in the twentieth century.
We didn’t take it lying down though. War crimes during World War II resulted in the trials at Nuremburg and Tokyo. And now, governments from every region of the world acknowledge the authority of the International Criminal Court.
World Day for International Justice, also called International Justice Day, acknowledges the worth of every human. It pays homage to the court system that has redressed—and now helps to deter—humanity’s most horrific crimes.
Fun facts about World Day for International Justice!
- The World War II trials in Nuremberg, Germany were the first time anyone had been prosecuted for crimes against humanity. Of the 22 Nazi leaders on trial, three were acquitted.
- The word “genocide” first appeared at Nuremberg when a lawyer used it to describe the Nazi extermination plan for the Jews.
- International Justice Day occurs on the anniversary of the Rome Statute, a treaty adopted on July 17, 1998 to create the International Criminal Court.
- The ICC has completed 200 trials for unspeakable crimes since 1998.
How to celebrate World Day for International Justice:
- Attend an event promoting international criminal justice.
- Research non-profit institutions that fight for justice in lawless regions of the world. Consider donating or volunteering for the cause.
What’s the hashtag for World Day for International Justice?
Use #InternationalJusticeDay on social media to support the fight against the world’s atrocities.