Past Events
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Permanent Forum on People of African Descent – 3rd session (16 to 19 April 2024)
The Permanent Forum on People of African Descent held its annual session from 16 to 19 April 2024 in room XX at the Palais des Nations, Geneva, Switzerland. This third session was organized under the theme: “The Second International Decade for People of African Descent: Addressing Systemic Racism, Reparatory Justice and Sustainable Development”.
It was an opportunity to go through the barriers and obstacles in the achievements of the programme of activities of the first International Decade and discuss the focus of the requested second International Decade. The plenary also addressed issues such as the role of reparations in sustainable development and economic justice, and the impact of systemic racism in education. The cultures and contributions of people of African descent in societies were celebrated via a dedicated discussion and cultural performances and exhibitions.
Many parallel events organized by civil society and other actors took place in Geneva, but also online.
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Special Event - Extending the Decade of People of African Descent: Continuing the Journey Towards Recognition, Justice, and Development in Asia and the Pacific Region
In the context of the Regional meeting for Asia and the Pacific region on the International Decade for People of African Descent, the former UN fellows of African descent living in Asia and the Pacific region organized a Special Event to highlight the voices of people of African descent in the region and create awareness of the importance of extending the International Decade for People of African descent beyond 2024 and there still a lot to be done to achieve the Decade’s three key themes: recognition, justice, and development. The Special Event was also an opportunity to propose concrete recommendations for the way forward.
The event took place on Tuesday 16 January 2024, from 12:30 to 13:30 CET online and at the International Conference Center for Geneva (rue de Varembé 17 1202 Geneva).
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Special Event – Voices of the Decade: Connecting Cultures through Art and Media
In the context of the Regional meeting for Asia and the Pacific region on the International Decade for People of African Descent, OHCHR organized a Special Event to highlight the diverse experiences of people of African descent in Asia, featuring the voices of two prominent figures of African descent living in the region, namely Sam Okyere, a prominent Ghanaian television personality currently residing in the Republic of Korea and Rene Hoshino, a Cameroon-born and Japan-raised manga creator.
The discussion shed light on how, through their respective work and public engagement, they seek to contribute to building a message of mutual understanding that can surmount differences in birthplace or skin colour. The discussion also addressed challenges they have faced and ways to overcome these challenges.
The event took place on Monday 15 January 2024, from 12:30 to 13:30 CET online and at the International Conference Center for Geneva (rue de Varembé 17 1202 Geneva).
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Regional Meeting for Asia Pacific on the International Decade for People of African Descent (15 - 16 January 2024, HYBRID MEETING)
As part of the awareness raising campaign for the International Decade for People of African Descent (A/RES/69/16), the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights organized two-day regional meetings in different parts of the world. The fifth regional meeting, for the Asia Pacific region, tookplace on 15-16 January 2024 in hybrid format, with remote participation at the International Conference Center for Geneva (rue de Varembé 17, Geneva, Switzerland).
The regional meetings provided an opportunity to address the three sub-themes of the Decade: Recognition, Justice and Development.
Call for written inputs:
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Towards Eliminating Systemic Racism and Discrimination Against People of African Descent (29 March 2023, 11:00 a.m. EST, UNHQ, New York)
The United Nations Senior Africans Group (UNSAG) and the Republic of Ghana, in partnership with the United Nations Anti-Racism Team (ART), the Office of the Special Adviser on Africa, the Office of the Special Adviser for the Prevention of Genocide, and the UN Permanent Forum on People of African Descent co-convened the first in a series of global advocacy events, “Towards Eliminating Racism and Discrimination Against People of African Descent”.
he event was chaired by Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director, UNAIDS, UNSAG Co-Chair and was designed to galvanize strategic support for accelerated implementation of the International Decade for People of African Descent Programme of Activities; deepen the conversation on gaps, progress, and unfinished business areas to address systemic racism and other prejudices at the United Nations and beyond; and advance the implementation of the United Nations Strategic Action Plan on addressing racism and promoting dignity for all.
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(30 May 2023 - 02 June 2023)
Registration: All individuals must in advance to participate. To apply for financial support, civil society representatives are requested to send this application form ( | | ) to: pfpad@un.org. Deadline for application: 15 March 2023, 11:59 pm CET
Call for inputs on topics to be considered for discussion during the second session of the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent: ( | | ).
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(18-27 January 2023, various cities)
The ? ?is undertaking a fact-finding country visit to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from 18 to 27 January 2023. The WGEPAD will gather the following types of information: any forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, Afrophobia and related intolerance faced by people of African descent; measures taken to prevent racial discrimination and protect victims of racism and hate crimes; mechanisms for the protection, integration and inclusion of migrants and refugees; responses to multiple forms of discrimination that specific groups of African descent may face and the efforts undertaken by the authorities to protect people of African descent from violations.
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, Geneva, 5-8 December 2022
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights is pleased to announce that?the will take place from 5 to 8 December 2022 in Palais des Nations of the United Nations Office in Geneva, Switzerland.
This year’s session will focus on strategies to combat systemic racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance.
All stakeholders advancing the rights of people of African descent are welcome to participate in the Permanent Forum session. Member States, United Nations specialized agencies and bodies, national human rights institutions, equality bodies, civil society representatives and organizations of people of African descent are especially invited to attend and contribute to the discussions.
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UN Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent: Launch of the thematic report on (31 October 2022, UNHQ, New York)
During its twenty-ninth session, held in Geneva from 15 to 19 November 2021, the UN Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent held private discussions. At its thirtieth session, held in New York from 23 to 27 May 2022, the group focused on the theme “Children of African descent”, and the report will be presented to the Human Rights Council in Geneva on 3 October and to the UN General Assembly on 31 October in New York City.
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UN Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent: 30th public session on Children of African Descent (23-27 May 2022 UNHQ, New York, USA)
This thematic session will discuss the human rights situation of children of African descent globally. The session will involve extensive discussions on racial discrimination and inequality faced by children of African descent in all areas of life including administration of justice, law enforcement, education, health, family life, development, as well as redress for legacies of enslavement, colonialism, and racial segregation.
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VOICES: A Black History Month special event (22 February, 2022 2:00PM MT)
There's only three years left in the International Decade for People of African Descent. Voices of the Decade features 11 stories of women of African descent, providing a snapshot of the important and inspiring work achieved to promote the human rights of people of African descent throughout the world. Voices of the Decade is a call, and a source of inspiration, for everyone to work together towards recognition, justice and development for people of African descent.
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Commemoration of the first International Day for People of African Descent (31 August - 4 September 2021)
The International Day for People of African Descent (31 August) is celebrated for the first time this year, to promote the extraordinary contributions of the African diaspora around the world and to eliminate all forms of discrimination against people of African descent.
An exciting series of activities is being organized in Costa Rica on 31 Ausut to 4 September in San Jose and in Cahuita on the Caribbean Coast.
The official ceremony which will take place in hybrid format today in San Jose includes participation by the Deputy Secretary-General, the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Director General of UNFPA and the Vice-President of Costa Rica. Activities over the following days include a high-level forum, an economic and business forum for Afro-descendants, testimonies on racial justice and equality, a civil society dialogue to advance the rights of Afro-descendants and a cultural ceremony to inaugurate the International Day. The closing Drum Dialogue ceremony with the Afro-Costa Rican community of Cahuita will feature performances by local and international artists, the release of a song and the launch of a mini-documentary.
Events have a mixed in-person/online format with the participation of Governments, international organizations, civil society organizations, academia, media and leaders of African descent from around the world. and , with the support of UN Department of Global Communication, are in the lead.
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Durban+20: Reflections on Youth and Racism Twenty Years later (30 July 2021, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. GMT+2)
University of Johannesburg, South Africa
The panel discussion aims to reflect on the contemporary challenges facing young people nationally and globally. The meeting will focus on how young people can be agents of change against the backdrop of the commemoration of the 20th Anniversary of the 1976 Soweto Youth Uprising against the racist apartheid system. It also seeks to reignite the minds of young people with the spirit of the “Mandela-Robinson” pledge, Tolerance and Diversity: A Vision for the 21st Century, which was adopted by delegates at the Durban Conference to demonstrate their steadfast commitment to combat the scourge of racism, racial discrimination and their contemporary manifestations.
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Side-Event of #Kwibuka27: How technology is being used to perpetuate hate and genocide denial and strategies to counter it (25 June 2021, 10:00-11:30 a.m. New York Time)
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SEE US, HEAR US, COUNT US IN: Voices from the Decade for People of African Descent (23 July 2021, 8:00 a.m. - 9:20 a.m EST/7:00 a.m. - 8:20 a.m. Panama Time)
Join us in a virtual event to mark the Midterm Review of the International Decade for People of African Descent. This side event is co-organized by the Office of the High Commission of Human Rights (OHCHR), United Nations Department of Global Communications (UNDGC), and United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) under the theme: "See Us, Hear Us, Count Us In." The programme will include opening statements from UN officials, musical and cultural performances, a short documentary, informative one on one interviews with relevant experts, and the launch of an inspiring communications campaign featuring a diverse group of young people of African descent from around the world. It will be broadcast via UNFPA Youtube channel and UNWebTV in ENGLISH, FRENCH, SPANISH and PORTUGUESE. -
Memory at risk: the importance of genocide archives for justice, remembrance, research and education (22 June 2021, Tuesday, 9:00 - 10:15 a.m. New York Time / 3:00 - 4:15 p.m. Paris Time)
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Discussion of Episode 4 “New World Cultures”, of the series Enslaved: The Lost History of the Transatlantic Slave Trade (11 June, 12:00-1:30 p.m. New York Time)
An online panel discussion of the fourth episode, “New World Cultures” of the six-part series, "Enslaved". The series examines the history of slavery and the transatlantic slave trade, and is presented by Samuel L. Jackson, Afua Hirsch and Simcha Jacobovici. We are pleased to offer a LIMITED SCREENING of Episode 4. Please use THIS LINK to WATCH the EPISODE free-of-charge at your own pace: https://bit.ly/3t39NrA
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ONLINE EVENT:12th Annual Global Student Conference on the transatlantic slave trade and slavery (10 June, 10:00-11:30 a.m. New York Time)
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