Symposium: Ongoing legacies of Colonialism and the Trans-Atlantic and Trans-Saharan trades in enslaved Africans globally

THE PROJECT.

In celebration of the mid-way of the Decade for People of African Descent, the international Decade for People of African Descent and all UN PAD Fellows achievements, Birthmark of Africa and the United Nations OHCHR has joined in partnership to address existing the ongoing legacies of Colonialism and the Trans-Atlantic and Trans-Saharan trades in enslaved Africans globally.

THE EVENT.

This event will seek to address the ongoing legacies of Colonialism and the Trans-Atlantic and Trans-Saharan trades in enslaved Africans globally and how this legacy may be remedied. The event will be hosted by Birthmark of Africa and the event will be split into two segments:

Part One - A Symposium - 6th August 2022: For PAD Fellows to discuss the ongoing legacies of Colonialism and the Trans-Atlantic and Trans-Saharan trades in enslaved Africans globally and agree how this legacy can be remedied via recommendations.

Part Two - A Presentation - 31st August 2022: For OHCHR experts to present on the ongoing legacies of Colonialism and the Trans-Atlantic and Trans-Saharan trades in enslaved Africans globally and for the recommendations reached at the Symposium by UN PAD Fellows, to be presented by The Expert UN Fellows Working Group for People of African Descent (EFWGPAD) during the event.

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THE PROJECT & EVENT OBJECTIVES.

1. To introduce The Expert UN Fellows Working Group for People of African Descent (EFWGPAD), its purpose and how other UN PAD Fellows may get involved.

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2. For all attending UN PAD Fellows to collectively discuss the ongoing legacies of Colonialism and the Trans-Atlantic and Trans-Saharan trades in enslaved Africans that exist globally and its ongoing affects.

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3. For all attending UN PAD Fellows to put forward recommendations as to how such legacies may be remedied.

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4. For these recommendations to be collated, reviewed and presented by The Expert UN Fellows Working Group for People of African Descent (EFWGPAD) to UN-OHCHR and the Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent (WGEPAD) in both a written and oral presentation.

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THE SYMPOSIUM.

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The symposium will contribute to:

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1. Sensitizing UN Member States and all other stakeholders to both the challenges and potential solutions to the harmful impacts of the ongoing legacies of Colonialism and the Trans-Atlantic and Trans‐Saharan trades in enslaved Africans on people of African descent globally;

2. Full and effective implementation of the International Decade for People of African Descent (IDPAD) (2015-2024) as well as the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action (DDPA);

3. Compliance with the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD);

4. Advancing the human rights situation of people of African descent.

Only UN PAD Fellows will be allowed to participant in this segment of the event and only UN PAD Fellows and UN-OHCHR staff members/WGEPAD allowed to attend. For the recommendations criteria, please see the Symposium Guide.

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Symposium Event date: Saturday 6th August 2022 - ONLINE via ZOOM

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SUBMIT YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS VIA A WRITTEN SUBMISSION.

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During the Symposium, UN PAD Fellows will be entitled to make an oral presentation of ONE recommendation. Due to time constraints, the oral presentation time will be for THREE (3) Minutes only. This orally presented recommendation should only address one concern and one theme. Please note, oral presentations by Fellows will be upon a first come, first served basis.

If you wish to address more than one recommendation that address the ongoing legacy of the Transatlantic Slave Trade , Sub-Saharan Slave Trade and Colonialism globally, you may do so in writing via a written submission. This may be done by submitting your recommendations in writing to The Expert UN Fellows Working Group for People of African Descent (EFWGPAD) by using the form.

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