UNIS/SGSM/1428
29 August 2024
On the International Day for People of African Descent, we honour the immense and diverse contributions of people of African descent to the vast spectrum of human achievements, and their tireless efforts to create a better world.
The leadership, courage, and activism of people of African descent have helped overcome profound injustices, saved lives, improved societies, and brought crucial issues to the world’s attention. Yet the intolerable legacies of enslavement and colonialism endure. Systemic racism is rife and continues to mutate into new forms – including in new technologies, where algorithms can amplify discrimination.
We must build on the work of people of African descent with global action to eradicate the scourge of racism and racial discrimination.
At the United Nations, this is a priority, and we have established a new Anti-Racism Office. This will drive implementation of our strategic plan to address racism in the workplace. We also need governments to take the lead – by advancing and implementing policies and laws to tackle systemic racism and ensure inclusion. We need the private sector to step up – including rooting out bias in technology and other dimensions of working life. And we need reparatory justice to address the crimes of enslavement.
Building on the success of the last decade, I hope States will proclaim a second International Decade for People of African Descent, to help to accelerate global efforts for true change.
Together, let’s do our part to vanquish racism and discrimination, and build a world of equality, opportunity, and justice for all.
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We must transform how we produce and consume, and how we value nature, says the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, "Biodiversity is the bedrock of life and a cornerstone of sustainable development.... Biodiversity loss is a global challenge. No one country, however rich or powerful, can address it alone. Nor can they live without the rich biodiversity that defines our planet."
LGBTIQ+ people around the world face an onslaught of hate speech, attacks, and restrictions on their rights. The power of communities is the theme this year which reminds us that we are strongest together. "LGBTIQ+ people, and those working with them to secure their rights, have proved time and again the value of communities in providing support and driving change," says UN Secretary-General António Guterres
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