“As we inaugurate this new international observance, let us recognize the indispensable role of the truth in upholding human rights – and let us pledge to defend the right to the truth as we pursue our global mission of human rights.”
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
24 March 2011
The purpose of the Day is to:
•   Honour the memory of victims of gross and systematic human rights violations and promote the importance of the right to truth and justice;
•   Pay tribute to those who have devoted their lives to, and lost their lives in, the struggle to promote and protect human rights for all;
•   Recognize, in particular, the important work and values of Archbishop Oscar Arnulfo Romero, of El Salvador, who was assasinated on 24 March 1980, after denouncing violations of the human rights of the most vulnerable populations and defending the principles of protecting lives, promoting human dignity and opposition to all forms of violence.
The UN General Assembly, in its resolution, invites all Member States, international organizations and civil society organizations and individuals, to observe the International Day in an appropriate manner.
