The United Nations General Assembly adopted by acclamation this past December 16 a resolution presented by Costa Rica and co-sponsored by 52 countries, to proclaim August 31 as the International Day for People of African Descent.

Announced by Vice President Epsy Campbell Barr on a national broadcast last August on the occasion of the commemoration of the Historical Month of Afro-descendants in Costa Rica, the initiative aims to recognize the contributions of people of African descent around the world, and their struggles to combat all forms of racism and racial discrimination.

In August 1920 the First International Convention of the Black Peoples of the World was held in New York and as a result of the discussions, led by Marcus Garvey with thousands of delegates from different countries, the «Declaration of Rights of the Negro Peoples of the World” was adopted.

This declaration “was one of the most notable of the 20th century by making explicit the rights to racial justice, equality before the law, the right to self-determination, freedom of the press, freedom of religious worship, the right to unlimited education, as well as the right to peace, long before the Universal Declaration of Human Rights”, said Vice President Campbell.

“This proposal presented by Costa Rica and which has obtained the support of the UN General Assembly seeks to do justice to the struggles, hopes and resistance of Afro-descendants around the world, bringing to light this milestone in a context of growing mobilization for racial justice, equality, and non-discrimination”, she added.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Worship, Rodolfo Solano Quirós, thanked the countries for their active involvement and support during the negotiation process.

Foreign Minister Solano stressed that the adoption of this resolution “reflects the leadership that Costa Rica maintains in the area of Human Rights. It is not only a historic resolution, but also robust in its content, which reaffirms the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and is based on the Durban Declaration and Program of Action, and the International Decade for People of African Descent».

Meanwhile, the Presidential Commissioner for Afro-descendant Affairs, Enrique Joseph, asserted that the celebration of the International Day of Afro-descendants «will contribute to honoring and preserving historical memory, promoting greater knowledge and respect for human diversity».