Get A Handle On UN Declarations Such As 2011 Year Of People Of African Descent Etc

The UN (United Nation) by itself and through its agencies such as UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific And Cultural Organisation) has annual commemorations and also year long commemorations.

One of the two questions asked in Kwaku's guerilla documentary 'The African Or Black question' is based around awareness of the the UN's declaration of 2011 the Year For People Of African Descent. This page provides full background to this UN initiative, and related information. It's edited from the UNESCO website.

2011, International Year for People of African Descent

Logo of the Year

On 18 December 2009, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed the year beginning on 1 January 2011 the International Year for People of African Descent (A/RES/64/169).

The Year aims at strengthening national actions and regional and international cooperation for the benefit of people of African descent in relation to their full enjoyment of economic, cultural, social, civil and political rights, their participation and integration in all political, economic, social and cultural aspects of society, and the promotion of a greater knowledge of and respect for their diverse heritage and culture.

The General Assembly encourages Member States, the specialized agencies of the United Nations system, within their respective mandates and existing resources, and civil society to make preparations for and identify possible initiatives that can contribute to the success of the Year.

This International Year is coordinated by the United Nations High Commission for Human Rights

• Full text of the Resolution
• Visit the official Website of the Year

Initiatives related to this celabration (to be regularly updated)

• International Day for the Remembrance of Slave trade and its Abolition, 23 August 2011
• Presentation of "The Slave Route in the River Plate: contributions to intercultural dialogue", Buenos Aires, Argentina, 18 July 2011
• The Harriet Tubman Student Summer Programme 2011 on "Introduction to African and African Diaspora Studies", York University, Toronto, Canada, 4- 15 July 2011
• Commemorating the Slave Trade and Slavery as a Crime against Humanity, France, 10 May 2011
• Interregional Philosophical Dialogue between Africa and the Americas – “Africa and its Diaspora” Purdue University, West Lafayette, USA, 18-20 April 2011
• Teachers talking about the Transatlantic Slave Trade, New York, 23 March 2011
• Celabration of the International Day of the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, UNESCO Headquarters, 21 March 2011
• Thematic discussion on racial discrimination against People of African descent on the theme “Racial Discrimination against People of African Descent”, Geneva, 7 March 2011
• Savoirs des femmes : médecine traditionnelle et nature Maurice, Rodrigues, Réunion, Publication, March 2011 
• Meeting of the International Scientific Committee of the UNESCO Slave Route Project, Bogota, 28 Feb.- 3 March 2011

Related links

• Launching of the Year 2011, on December 10, 2010 (video)
• Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent
• UNDP: promoting social inclusion of people of African descent
• Slave Routes. A Global Vision: Highlighting the African presence and contribution 

• Source:UNESCO/ONU
• Last updated: 22 August 2011