A past event worthy of note

Abdullmusawwir Shabazz -

These and other worthy events will continue to be published by our newsletter. This will help provide a record of occurrences which took place on behalf of Afrodescendants

REMARKS DELIVERED BY

Sherry Tross

Executive Secretary, Summits of the Americas Secretariat


INAUGURATION CEREMONY OF THE FIRST WORLD SUMMIT OF AFRICAN DESCENDANTS

August 17-21, 2011

Cancha de Football Nilmo Edward, CURLA

La Ceiba, Honduras


His Excellency Porfirio Lobo Sosa, President of the Republic of Honduras

His Excellency President Álvaro Colom Caballeros, President of the Republic of Guatemala

Dr. Alfio Piva, Vice President of the Republic of Costa Rica

Distinguished Members of the Diplomatic Corps

Dr. Celeo Álvarez, President, ODECO and members of the Organizing Committee

Ladies and Gentlemen:


Let me first express my congratulations on the realization of this First World Summit of Afro-Descendents. It is indeed a historic moment and I am honored to celebrate this occasion with you in representation of His Excellency Jose Miguel Insulza, Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS). SG Insulza sends warm greetings and congratulations. He will be following closely the outcome of this meeting as many of the issues being discussed in the framework of this global meeting are issues with which the OAS grapples at a hemispheric level.


Indeed, the participation of the distinguished Heads of State and other high officials here present is an indication of the importance of this issue for OAS Member States.


The convoking of a Summit is, in itself, an indication that there are issues of significance that require dedicated and/or urgent attention. It also sends a message that these issues are of such importance that key actors and decision makers will commit to be a part of the process. The participation of individuals and organizations from over 40 countries in this meeting underscores its importance.


Among other things, this First World Summit of Afro-Descendents will analyze will pinpoint ongoing challenges and analyze progress that has been made since the 2001 World Conference against Racism in Durban, South Africa. In that context, I would like to briefly share with you some of the concrete steps that the Organization of American States has taken in its continued efforts to highlight the importance of human rights in their application to individuals of Afro-descent, promote democracy, foster inclusive development and eliminate the marginalization and exclusion that many Afro-descendants face as a consequence of discrimination.


  • In June of this year, the OAS General Assembly at the level of Foreign Ministers adopted a resolution supporting the International Year of Afro-Descendents.
  • The OAS Permanent Council also convoked a special session to celebrate the International Year of Afro-Descendents. In that session, member States reaffirmed their commitment to work toward the full and equal participation of people of African descent in all aspects of the political, economic, social, and cultural life of their countries. On that occasion, Secretary General Insulza pointed out that much remains to be done to realize those stated objectives.
  • The Inter-American Commission of Human Rights has created the Rapporteurship on the Rights of Afro-Descendants and against Racial Discrimination, with a view to bringing awareness of the situation of the human rights of people of African descent in the region.
  • The OAS also continues to work to prepare a Draft Inter-American Convention against Racism and All Forms of Discrimination and Intolerance.
  • Efforts are being made to mainstream Afro-descendant issues into OAS policies and programs.
  • And, in line with your own global approach, the OAS is working to harmonize its hemispheric efforts with those carried on at a global scale, and continues to strengthen ties with different UN bodies that work on the topic, such as the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD), the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), and the Durban Review Conference.
  • The OAS has opened spaces to facilitate greater participation of Afro-descent organizations in the programs and activities of the organization. Of the 361 civil society organizations registered with the OAS, 17 work on topics related to individuals of Afro-descendent.
  • Like your own initiative to meet in a World Summit, the leaders of this Hemisphere likewise use the Summit mechanism to review challenges, agree on solutions and create road maps for change. In just under a year, the leaders of the Americas will meet at the Sixth Summit of the Americas under the theme “Connecting the Americas: Partners for Prosperity,” a theme that encapsulates an inclusive vision for a future geared toward achieving greater inclusion, unity, and equality for all. Inter-American meetings of Afro-descendents provided useful input to the Summit of Heads in 2005 and 2009, and the current indications suggest that Afro-descendents will again mobilize to channel input into the policy making process for the Sixth Summit of the Americas in April 2012.


Why this emphasis on participation? Partly for the same reason that you are here today. Advocating for change means being heard, being a part of the agenda. Participation and inclusion are fundamental elements to achieve sustainable democracies, strong economies and ensure human rights.


I believe that many of you participating in this conference would agree that when the fundamental rights of a significant percentage of our populations are abrogated and their access to opportunity is limited, there are multiple layers of harm. Institutionalized discrimination materially harms not only individuals, it deprives our public institutions and private enterprises of a wealth of human capacity and other resources, and the diversity of intellectual input that are essential for advancing development and competitiveness.


This Summit can signify much more than a time delimited gathering. Today represents an important start. More than the convocation of a meeting, this Summit represents an opportunity to organize a sustainable process of engagement where individuals, organizations, and governments can treat existing challenges in a focused way in order to identify and advance constructive change.


I’d like to wrap up my remarks by referencing what I said at the beginning. Summits matter. The effectiveness of this Summit will, however, be largely determined by what happens after.


The international year of Afro-descendants is a significant milestone and an important call to action for Governments, institutions and society, in general to live up to the oft repeated pledges of equality and to marry rhetoric with action in that all persons are “born equal, in dignity and rights, and that all persons are equal before the law and have the rights and duties recognized without distinctions, such as those based on race, color, or other prohibited factors of discrimination.”


The OAS will continue to do its part in the Western Hemisphere and also collaborate with global partners to work together toward a future in which democracy, human rights, security, and development can fully benefit all.


I wish you a successful meeting and I look forward to the outcomes.


Thank you