A/69/318
41. Lastly, the Working Group encouraged the media to represent the diversity of
society and play a role in fighting racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and
related intolerance faced by people of African descent.
Collaboration with the Intergovernmental Working Group on the Effective
Implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action
42. The programme of work of the twelfth session of the Intergovernmental
Working Group on the Effective Implementation of the Durban Declaration and
Programme of Action (7 to 17 April 2014) was dedicated to elaborating a
programme of activities for the implementation of the International Decade for
People of African Descent, drawing from the existing draft programme of action for
the Decade as elaborated by the Working Group of Experts on People of African
Descent and the report of the Secretary-General on how to make the International
Decade for People of African Descent effective (A/67/879). The Chair of the
Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent participated in the twelfth
session of the Intergovernmental Working Group on the Effective Implementation of
the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action to introduce the Working Group ’s
draft programme of action and follow up on the process to develop a programme of
activities for the Decade.
Partnership with the United Nations Library at Geneva
43. In partnership with the Working Group and to support the proposal for the
International Decade for People of African Descent, the United Nations Library at
Geneva organized a special exhibition entitled “People of African descent:
recognition, justice and development. A journey through the United Nations Library
at Geneva collection”. The exhibition ran from August 2013 to May 2014.
44. The Working Group also organized a talk programme in collaboration with
OHCHR and the United Nations Library at Geneva. The talk programme was
attended by over 80 representatives of Member States, non-governmental
organizations, United Nations officials and media. The Chair, Ms. Verene Shepherd,
delivered a lecture entitled “Reparation and the right to development: The case of
the Caribbean Community (CARICOM)”. Ms. Catherine Fiankan-Bokonga,
Vice-President of the Association of Foreign Press in Switzerland and Lichtenstein,
presented on the role of the media in promoting access to justice for people of
African descent.
45. The United Nations Library at Geneva also launched an online resource guide
on people of African descent. 3 The guide provides links to the most relevant United
Nations documents (resolutions, reports, declarations and treaties) on people of
African descent. It also highlights the library’s collections on the topic — both print
and online resources (books, articles, journals and databases). Key websites have
also been selected by United Nations Office at Geneva librarians to keep up -to-date
on this subject.
__________________
3
14-59293
Available from http://libraryresources.unog.ch/africandescent.
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