Regional/Cultural Day
Jour de la Memoire de l'Esclavage
Observed at the House of Slaves on Goree Island, this day commemorates the millions of Africans who passed through the Door of No Return. Goree Island, located just off the coast of Dakar, was one of the largest slave-trading centers on the African coast from the 15th to the 19th century. The Maison des Esclaves, with its famous Door of No Return, has become a pilgrimage site for people of African descent from across the world. Presidents and dignitaries have visited to pay their respects.