Csaba Kőrösi, President of the 77th session of the General Assembly

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Opening of the Second Session of the Permanent Forum for People of African Descent

30 May 2023

(As delivered)

Excellencies,

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is my great honour to open the second session of the Permanent Forum of People of African Descent, a historic occasion, being the first one to be held at the United Nations Headquarters, here in New York.

Today, we gather to pay tribute to the indomitable spirit and resilience of People of African Descent, who, despite enduring more than 500 years of systemic discrimination and hardship, have consistently demonstrated unwavering strength and spirit.

This moment also provides an opportunity to recognize and celebrate the rich tapestry of cultures and heritage that People of African Descent have woven across the globe.

This session is especially significant, coinciding with the 75th anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the 30th anniversary of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action.

While we commemorate these milestones, it is crucial that we acknowledge the work that still lies ahead.

Racism and xenophobia continue to spoil our communities, like scars that spoil the fabric of society.

The hatred and violence they engender persist, demanding our collective efforts to eradicate racial violence in all its forms.

To achieve this, we must recognize our shared humanity.

From chattel slavery to unabashed systems of segregation – the unacknowledged legacies of these histories are rampant across our societies, like open wounds.

Oppressive and racially violent carceral systems, inequalities in access to healthcare and exclusion from the workforce – are all modern-day relics of these horrific systems of racial abuse.

We must do away with these inhumane and shameful inheritances, and we must do it now.

I firmly believe that by reflecting on these painful legacies, we can truly transform the injustices of the past into the freedoms of the future.

The Declaration of Human Rights forms a set of principles that you, Member States, agreed to abide by.

While there has been some progress in the implementation of the Programme of Activities of the International Decade for People of African Descent, racism is still a reality, and racism impedes the achievement of human rights.

So, how can we galvanise momentum around our shared responsibility to combat the scourge of racism, racial discrimination, and xenophobia?

What are concrete steps governments can take to ensure the full protection and respect of human rights within their borders?

Racism is a global problem that manifests in every single country. Therefore, every single country must take a stance against it.

For precisely this reason, this Forum serves a critical purpose.

The Forum will feature discussions on a number of important issues, and I am certain it will contribute to the “full political, economic and social inclusion of People of African Descent”.

As Toni Morrison so eloquently reminds us, “the function of freedom is to free someone else”.

Let us embody this principle in this hall.

As individuals, we enjoy freedom, we have a duty to free our neighbours in our societies who are denied the same privileges.

We must either stand together, acknowledging the inherent oneness of our species, or remain trapped within systems of harm and violence.

I trust that we all want a world free of violence, a world where our humanity is cherished.

And I trust that this Forum will play a key role in making that world a reality.

I thank you.