Image via Wikipedia



How many realize the United Nations has designated 2011 as the International Year of People of African Descent?  I have provided an introduction, video, and resources below.  See also Discrimination Curriculum.








After you have reviewed the items below, please share your thoughts, and let me know how you plan to commemorate the rest of the year.  If you are just finding out, you have missed half it so far.  How can we bring awareness to the resolution, and what can we do to enjoy "economic, cultural, social, civil and political rights as well as participate in all political, economic, social and cultural aspects of society, and promote a greater knowledge of and respect for our diverse heritage and culture?"  We will continue this conversation in the discussion section of the Over Troubled Water Facebook Community.

"On 18 December 2009, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed the year beginning on 1 January 2011 the International Year for People of African Descent. The Year aims at strengthening national action and regional and international cooperation for the benefit of people of African descent. This includes their full enjoyment of economic, cultural, social, civil and political rights, their participation and integration in all political, economic, social and cultural aspects of society, and the promotion of a greater knowledge of and respect for their diverse heritage and culture.

Around 200 million people who identify themselves as being of African descent live in the Americas. Many millions more live in other parts of the world, outside of the African continent. In proclaiming this International Year, the international community is recognising that people of African descent represent a distinct group whose human rights must be promoted and protected.

The main objective of the Year is to raise awareness of the challenges facing people of African descent. It is hoped that the Year will foster discussions that will generate proposals for solutions to tackle these challenges." See International Year of People of African Descent.

March 21, 2011 was International Day of Elimination of Racial Discrimination:










Integrating People of African Descent in Bolivian Society:







Calendar of events
29-30 April - Conference "Sur la route d'Afrique" (On the Road to Africa)
CHRS Armée du Salut, Paris, France
More details (PDF - in French)

18-20 April - Interregional Philosophical Dialogue between Africa and the Americas - "Africa and its Diaspora"
Purdue University, Indiana, United States of America
More details

28 March- 1 April - Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent/ 10th session
Palais des Nations room XVIII, Geneva, Switzerland
More details

21-23 March – SEPHIS Workshop "Equity, Justice, Development: People of African Descent in Latin America in comparative Perspective"
University of Cartagena, Colombia
Contact: milanes58@gmail.com
More details (PDF)

21 March – International Day against Racial Discrimination – Film Screening: "Defensa 1464"
Palais des Nations room XII, Geneva, Switzerland
More details (PDF)

7 March - Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD): Thematic Discussion on racial discrimination against people of African descent
Palais des Nations room XVIII, Geneva, Switzerland
More details

2 March - Human Rights Council/ 16th session: Panel on the enjoyment of the HRs of people of African descent
Palais des Nations room XX, Geneva, Switzerland


20 October - Panel discussion on "The Causes and Consequences of Racism"
Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti , Michigan, United States of America
Contact: vokafor@emich.edu
More details (PDF)

9 October - 16th Annual Maafa event to commemorate the enslavement of Africans
San Francisco, California, United States of America
Contact: woseOAK@aol.com; mail@maafasfbayarea.com; wandasabir@gmail.com

3-7 October – World Afro-descendant Youth Summit
Radisson Europa Hotel & Conference Center San José, Costa Rica
Contact: cumbre@proyectocaribe.org, circuloafro@gmail.com
More details (PDF)

22-24 September - 7th International African Diaspora Heritage Trail Conference
World Trade and Convention Centre, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Contact: ansa_newsletter@gov.ns.ca

18-21 August – Cumbre Mundial de Afrodescendientes (World Summit on Afro-descendants)
La Ceiba, Honduras
Contact: cumbremundialafro@gmail.com

11-13 August – Pan-African Women’s Action Summit
Minneapolis Community and Technological College, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of America
Contact: pawas@copelandcarson.net

6-12 June – Afro-Brazilian Arts and Cultural Heritage Festival
Washington DC, United States of America
Contact: zangada@capoeiradc.com
More details (PDF)

5 June 2011 - Launch of a series of events for the International Year for People of African Descent -St Thomas
University of Virgin Islands, St Thomas Campus, Charlotte Amalie, US Virgin Islands
Contact: ludlowebailey@gmail.com

18-20 May - Colloque "Enseigner les traites, esclavages, leurs abolitions et leurs héritages" (Seminar on aducation programme on the slave trades)
Ministère de l'Enseignement supérieur et de la Recherche, Paris, France
Contact: marie-albane.desuremain@paris7.jussieu.fr
More details (PDF)

5-7 May - Annual Conference of the Canadian Association of African Studies "Africa Here, Africa There"
York University, Toronto, Canada
More details (PDF)

4-11 May – Black International Cinema Festival
Fountainhead Tanz Theatre, Berlin, Germany
Contact: bicdance@aol.com

Note: This calendar of events is provided for information only and not all are official UN events. OHCHR only takes responsibility for the organization and outcome of its own events.