PRESS BRIEFING
BY MONICA GRAYLEY,?
SPOKESPERSON FOR?GENERAL ASSEMBLY?
PRESIDENT DENNIS FRANCIS
United Nations Headquarters, New York
25 March 2024
?
GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOLDS MEETING ON ABOLITION OF SLAVERY AND TRANSATLANTIC SLAVE TRADE
The General Assembly held a plenary meeting to mark the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade.
Before the event at the GA Hall, the President of the General Assembly, Mr. Dennis Francis, met Sir Hilary Beckles, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of the West Indies and Chairman of the CARICOM Reparations Commission, and Yolanda Renee King, Author and Activist, as well as other guests for a photo opportunity at the Ark of Return monument at the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Entrance.
This year, the International Day takes place under the theme: ¡°Creating Global Freedom: Countering Racism with Justice in Societies and Among Nations¡±.
In his speech at the GA Hall, President Francis highlighted that tens of millions of women, men and children fell victim to the transatlantic slave trade, which he described as, ¡°one the most heinous crimes against humanity that spanned over four centuries¡±.
He paid tribute to their memories and spoke about their, ¡°unimaginable suffering during one of the darkest chapters in human history.¡±
The PGA said that: ¡°People of African descent continue to experience systemic racism and discrimination ¨C enduring disparities in healthcare, education, housing, employment, and economic opportunities.¡±
He firmly believes that: ¡°It is incumbent upon States, institutions, and individuals to acknowledge their roles in perpetuating these legacies of injustice ¨C and to take meaningful steps towards reparatory justice.¡±
Tomorrow, 26 March, the PGA will convene a morning Gayap Dialogue to discuss the issue on the impacts of enslavement.
More on the PGA¡¯s speech, please go to his website:
PGA TO SPEAK AT WORLD LEADERS FORUM AT SETON HALL Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵIVERSITY
Tomorrow afternoon, President Dennis Francis will deliver remarks to the World Leaders Forum at Seton Hall University. The PGA¡¯s address will focus on ¡°The Role of the United Nations General Assembly in Building Peace, Progress, Prosperity and Sustainability for All.¡±
The event is scheduled for 4 p.m.
Prior to arriving at the University, President Francis will pay a private visit to the African Burial Ground Monument in lower Manhattan.
This site is considered the oldest and largest known excavated burial ground in North America for both free and enslaved Africans.
PGA¡¯S PRESS CONFERENCE ON SUSTAINABILITY WEEK ON 9 APRIL AT 11 A.M.
We need to update you on a change to the Press Conference by President Dennis Francis on the Sustainability Week.
The PGA will be in this room on 9 April at 11 a.m. to speak to you and answer your questions on the High-Level Event with Heads of State and Government, CEOs, and representatives of civil society.
The date we communicated before of 2 April has now changed to 9 April at 11 a.m.
As usual, the press conference will be webcast by Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ TV and on the PGA¡¯s social media channels as well as the YouTube channel for the United Nations.
The first-ever ¡°Sustainability Week¡± at the GA from 15-19 April will focus on critical global challenges with respect to debt sustainability, tourism, transport, infrastructure, and energy, which are all key to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.
A Call for Action will be issued on the last day.
In the meantime, everyone can use the #AskPGA platform to get ready for the first-ever Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵGA Sustainability Week and post thoughts also on how to #ChooseSustainability in debt sustainability, tourism, transport, infrastructure, and energy.
This is everything we have for today. Tomorrow, we will not be here in person, but you will receive all updates in your mailbox.
Do you have any questions?
* *** *
YouTube:
www.youtube.com/@Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵPGA78
Twitter (X):
@Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ_PGA
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/unpga
LinkedIn:
https://lnkd.in/eBPsvcsU