A/HRC/18/45 during the sessions of the Human Rights Council and the creation of a fellowship programme for young people of African descent to come to Geneva and learn about human rights and how the different United Nations human rights mechanisms work. The High Commissioner highlighted that, in planning these activities, OHCHR had adopted the theme of “Recognition, justice and development” proposed by the Working Group for the Year. B. Election of the Chairperson-Rapporteur 9. During the 1st meeting, on 28 March, the experts of the Working Group elected Mirjana Najchevska as Chairperson-Rapporteur. 10. In accepting the role of Chairperson, Ms. Najchevska pointed out that great achievements had been made in 2001 at the World Conference against Racism, where States recognized, inter alia, that people of African descent had suffered greatly from racism and racial discrimination and committed to taking measures to address this situation. She stated that the International Year for People of African Descent provided States and other stakeholders with a unique opportunity to manifest their commitment further, in the form of activities, programmes and other actions that combat discrimination against people of African descent and address the other daily challenges that they face. 11. The Chairperson noted with appreciation that the slogan “People of African descent: recognition, justice and development” adopted by the Working Group as its “mantra” for the International Year during its previous session had also been adopted by OHCHR and that it was already being used as a leading title for announcing the Year and activities related to it by some non-governmental organizations and forums. She invited all other actors to do the same, stressing that real and positive change in the lives of people of African descent could be achieved if actions to combat discrimination against this vulnerable group were consolidated around these three important ideas. 12. The Chairperson stated that, in its discussions during the session, the Working Group would seek to clarify the situation of people of African descent and arrive at recommendations for action addressing the continuing challenges. C. Organization of work 13. At the 1st meeting, the Chairperson presented the agenda and programme of work and suggested that they be modified in order to accommodate the keynote address being made on the third day instead of the first, and that the order of discussion on two topics be reversed so as to accommodate a presentation to be made via a video link from Panama. The revised agenda and programme of work, as orally amended by the Chairperson, were adopted accordingly. D. Keynote address under agenda item 5 14. Professor Sir Hilary Beckles was invited to give the keynote address at the tenth session of the Working Group. 15. Mr. Beckles provided an historical overview of slavery and the transatlantic slave trade. He emphasized that it was essential to place the present and the future in the context of historical past, as they were all interlinked. For centuries, Africa had been at the centre of mineral resources interests; nowadays, even countries that had not been involved in slavery and the slave trade had been trying to gain access to such mineral resources. 4