{"id":182974,"date":"2019-03-25T13:50:44","date_gmt":"2019-03-25T17:50:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/pga\/73\/?p=182974"},"modified":"2019-03-25T13:50:44","modified_gmt":"2019-03-25T17:50:44","slug":"press-briefing-by-spokesperson-25-march-2019","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/pga\/73\/2019\/03\/25\/press-briefing-by-spokesperson-25-march-2019\/","title":{"rendered":"Press Briefing by Spokesperson \u2013 25 March 2019"},"content":{"rendered":"
PGA CHAIRS COMMEMORATION ON INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR THE ELIMINATION OF RACIAL DISCRIMINATION<\/strong><\/p>\n
The General Assembly is meeting today on\u00a0the occasion of\u00a0 the\u00a0 day for the\u00a0elimination of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance.<\/p>\n
In her address to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, the PGA highlighted the role of hate speech by saying that \u201cwords are powerful and that words can kill.\u201d The meeting today is focusing on\u00a0countering nationalist populism and supremacist ideologies.<\/p>\n
Ms. Mar\u00eda Fernanda Espinosa\u00a0recalled\u00a0that\u00a0it had been\u00a0the\u00a0murder of 69 peaceful protestors in Sharpeville, South Africa on the 21st<\/sup>\u00a0of March 1960\u00a0that had\u00a0moved the General Assembly to create this International Day.<\/p>\n
A few years later, the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination came into force.<\/p>\n
The PGA said, and I quote:\u00a0\u201cRacist ideologies helped fuel the genocide in Rwanda, the Srebrenica massacre\u00a0and many other\u00a0atrocities committed since.<\/p>\n
These crimes shame us all. They represent the worst of humanity.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ms. Espinosa stressed that hate speech is not free speech. It\u00a0is racism.<\/p>\n
A copy of her address to the GA can be found on the PGA\u2019s website: un.org\/pga\/73 in the section called speeches.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
GA HOLDS PLENARY MEETING ON ABOLITION OF SLAVERY AND THE TRANSATLANTIC TRADE<\/strong><\/p>\n
This afternoon, at 3 pm. Member States will return to the GA Hall for a plenary meeting on the commemoration of the abolition of slavery and the transatlantic slave trade.\u00a0<\/p>\n
For over 400 years, more than 15 million men, women and children were the victims of the tragic transatlantic slave trade.\u00a0 The 25 March is also an opportunity to honour and remember those who suffered and died at the hands of the brutal slavery system. The date also aims to raise awareness about the dangers of racism and prejudice today.<\/p>\n
The President of the General Assembly affirmed that;\u00a0\u201cas the world enters the fourth year of Decade for People of African Descent, we need to do more to address\u00a0the impact of our past on people and institutions today.\u201d\u00a0 Ms. Espinosa\u00a0said\u00a0that Africa is still underrepresented in international institutions.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
PGA\u2019S AGENDA AND OTHER ISSUES<\/strong><\/p>\n
This morning, the PGA met the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, Ms. Tendayi Achiume. She will hold a monthly coordination meeting with the Secretary-General, Ant\u00f3nio Guterres, and return to the GA hall this afternoon for the meeting on the commemoration of the abolition of slavery and the\u00a0transatlantic slave trade.\u00a0<\/p>\n
This is all from us. Do you have anything else?<\/p>\n