UNITED STATES MISSION TO THE UNITED NATIONS
Office of Press and Public Diplomacy
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 31, 2023
Statement by Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield on the International Day for People of African Descent
Today, we celebrate all people of African descent and their contributions to communities around the world. We also celebrate the hard-won progress we’ve made so far in eliminating discrimination and advancing equity for all, while recognizing that we still have work to do. As President Biden has said: “Advancing equity is not a one-year project. It’s a generational commitment.”
President Biden has been clear since his first day in office that racial equity and justice are, and will continue to be, priorities for his administration. To this end, President Biden will soon launch the first ever President’s Advisory Council on African Diaspora Engagement in the United States to advance equity for the African Diaspora in the U.S. and around the world.
Systemic racism, discrimination, and human rights abuses experienced by people of African descent are not limited to a single country. It is an evil that persists in every society living with the lingering legacy of enslavement. We must work together to fully address these ongoing challenges.
As we approach the final year of the International Decade for People of African Descent next year, let us not slow down but work even harder to improve respect for the human rights and the fundamental freedoms of individuals of African descent – to benefit all people for decades to come.
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