UN chief calls for end to racism on int’l day for people of African descent

United Nations | Xinhua | UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday called for an end to racism on the occasion of the first-ever International Day for People of African Descent, which falls on Aug. 31 each year.

This day is a celebration of the enormous contributions of people of African descent to every field of human endeavor. It is a long-overdue recognition of the profound injustices and systemic discrimination that people of African descent have endured for centuries, and continue to confront today. And it is an urgent call to action for everyone, everywhere, to commit to rooting out the evil of racism, he said in a message.

“Twenty years after the Durban Declaration and Program of Action, and more than halfway into the International Decade for People of African Descent, we are experiencing unprecedented momentum toward ending the global scourge of racism. We must not squander this opportunity,” said Guterres.

Acknowledging the entrenched legacy of enslavement, redressing the wrongs of history, and shattering the evil lie of supremacy demands persistence and action every day, at every level, in every society, he said. “Together, let us commit to do our part and advance the promise of equality, justice and dignity for all.”

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Xinhua