But the annual commemoration is much more than a high-profile incident, he said, as racism clearly persists in all corners of the world.
Sinister and harmful
“Sometimes it’s explicit and vulgar: an obscenity thrown at another person or graffiti scrawled on a wall. Sometimes it’s quiet and discreet. masked in bureaucracy and hidden within the ordinary”Ms. Baerbock said in the General Assembly Hall.
“But whether loud or silent, it is sinister, harmful and its consequences extend far beyond individuals.”
As UN Secretary-General António Guterres stated in his comments, racism harms everyone.
Governments waver on their policies
“He persists in the harmful consequences of slavery, colonialism and oppression“, said.
Racism also “fuels many of the problems we face today,” including economic, social and political inequalities, as well as discriminatory policies and practices and conflicts.
Furthermore, “many of the solutions to address it are weakening as some governments dismantle anti-racist policies and practices and leaders attempt to rewrite history.”
The UN chief was particularly concerned about how racism and xenophobia are being incorporated into digital platforms and political discourse.
“What might start with dog whistles (coded messages intended to embolden other bigots) can quickly turn into full-throated hate speech,” he said.
“We know where this path leads: to more injustice, violence, and even worse..”
The solution is solidarity, he said, calling on governments, institutions, companies and communities to work together to protect the dignity, justice, equality and rights of every person.
keep moving forward
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, highlighted how history has shown that movements for greater equality cannot be stopped.
He cited the example of Sharpeville but also ruby bridgesthe African American girl who desecrated schools in the United States; activist Ana Paula Gomes de Oliveira who seeks justice for Afro-Brazilian mothers who lost their children to police violence, and the reverend American civil rights defender. Jesse Jackson who passed away last month.
“These and countless other acts of resistance have changed the face of our world. Today, we owe them nothing less than an all-out effort to safeguard and promote this progress“, said.
Justice, human rights and courage
Mr. Türk highlighted the critical need for political will, including to fight discrimination through laws that are strictly enforced and strengthen accountability for all forms of discrimination and racial hatred.
“Being anti-racist does not mean being on the side of one group against another. It means being on the side of human rights and justice, for all,” he said.
American law professor Justin Hansford – a founding member of the United Nations Permanent Forum on People of African Descent – spoke of how he has marched in the streets for racial justice with “tear gas in the air, tanks in the streets, names like Trayvon Martin, Mike Brown and George Floyd on my lips.”
He described the 69 people slaughtered in the Sharpeville massacre as martyrs to the cause of democracy and racial justice whose sacrifice resonates today.
“Their bravery demonstrated that the world will always be watching until racial justice is no longer a promise deferred but a condition fulfilled,” he said.