George Floyd

Two years after the death of George Floyd: Antiracism, #BLM and the United Nations

As people continue to challenge the systemic racism that has devalued the lives of Black and Brown people globally, many are asking the question: why do some of these tragic events spark a stronger call for change than others?

Floyd’s murder also revived the concept of antiracism. The webinar will explore, in practice, what it means to be antiracist. Participants will also be invited to reflect on the role played by Christian nationalism in reinforcing white supremacy and racial subjugation, thereby fueling racism, xenophobia and racial discrimination.

As a follow up of its 1 June 2021 webinar marking the 100th anniversary of the Tulsa Race Massacre, the World Council of Churches Commission of the Churches on International Affairs will host this webinar on the sides of the 30th session of the UN Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent, which will be taking place in New York city, USA, from 23 to 27 May 2022.

Speakers:

Moderator: Rev. Chebon Kernell, ordained elder in the Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference

  • Gaynel D. Curry, member of the United Nations Permanent Forum on People of African Descent
  • Rt. Rev. Elizabeth A. Eaton, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
  • Rev. Dr. Leah Gunning Francis, vice president for Academic Affairs and dean of the Faculty at Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis
  • Prof. Gay McDougall, member of the United Nations Committee for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD)

Register here to join this webinar live on Wednesday, 25 May, 3:30 pm CEST / 9:30am EST.

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CoNGO Notes: For more information on the Committee of Religious NGOs at the United Nations, please visit rngos.wordpress.com. For more information on the NGO Committee on Social Development, please visit ngosocdev.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Human Rights, please email the co-chairs at bobbinassar@yahoo.com or bknotts@uua.org. 

[Virtual Tribute] 75th memorial of Hiroshima bombing in the context of BLM

From Tulsa to Hiroshima: The Urgency of Denuclearization to the Necessity of Abolition in America

MIDHEAVEN has partnered with Hiroshima City, Heart of Peace Hiroshima, Hopitow (Hopi Nation),
and others to produce a global virtual tribute with live performances & discussions exploring revolutionary love, radical freedom and listening.

Context: On August 6th, 1945, America detonated a nuclear bomb on Hiroshima, Japan. Today, in the midst of America’s racial crisis there is an opportunity to excavate the root cause of the ideals that have defined America’s actions from its founding: nuclear war is only possible and permissible in a society where the rot of slavery remains. In this historic memorial, Japanese and Black/Brown/Indigenous Peoples share an understanding and agenda as radical change agents for peace.

Access & participate in the tribute here and/or here on August 6

Agenda

CHAPTER 1: HISTORY OF ANTI-PEACE (8:00am – 10:00am EST)
+ Tulsa bombing
+ Hiroshima bombing
+ War’s destruction
+ Reflections via art of the era
+ A people’s history of the United States

CHAPTER 2: REALITY OF WAR (10:00am – 12:00pm EST)
+ Statistics and infographics: people struggling with war
+ Testimony from survivors & scientific/military community
+ War’s negative effects on the environment & our lives

CHAPTER 3: IMAGINATION OF PEACE
(12:00pm – 2:00pm EST)
+ A world with peace as a priority
+ Artistic dreams of utopia: a path forward
+ Statistics and infographics: who & what stops progress

CHAPTER 4: WAR ECONOMY (2:00pm – 4:00pm EST)
+ The investment in war
+ What economic disparity does to the population and the long term effects
+ Testimony from everyday people on the economic effects of war & the aftermath

CHAPTER 5: THE PEACE ECONOMY (4:00pm – 6:00pm EST)
+ Historical view of a way forward
+ Current views
+ Statistics and infographics: actions to take now

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CoNGO Notes: For information on the NGO Committee on Disarmament, Peace and Security, please visit ngocdps.wordpress.com. For information on the NGO Committee on Spirituality, Values and Global Concerns-NY, visit csvgc-ny.org.  For information on the NGO Committee on Peace-Vienna, 

Urgent Debate: UN Human Rights Council — “Race-based human rights violations, systemic racism, police violence against persons of African descent, and violence against peaceful protests”

THE DEBATE CAN BE VIEWED AT UNTV: webtv.un.org

The UN Human Rights Council will be holding an urgent debate on “race-based human rights violations, systemic racism, police violence against persons of African descent, and violence against peaceful protests.” This unprecedented meeting will take place on Wednesday, June 17 at 3:00pm Geneva time (9:00am New York time).

Last Friday, the African Group (which represents the 54 African countries in the United Nations) submitted a request for an Urgent Debate during this week’s Council session which resumed after it was suspended in March due to COVID-19. While the request for an “Urgent Debate” (which is technically equivalent to a special session) is not specific to the U.S., it is very clear that racism and impunity for police killings of people of African descent in the United States including recent killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery were the impetus for the request.

George Floyd’s tragic murder has sparked what appears to be an unstoppable global movement demanding concrete and bold actions to end racist policing practices and impunity for police violence.

While there is a  recognition that the global nature of racism and police violence, there is now an invitation to encourage governments, especially members of the UN Human Rights Council, to ensure that the Urgent Debate and its outcome, are focused on efforts to hold the United States accountable. The recommendation is the creation of an independent international accountability mechanism to document and investigate extrajudicial killings of unarmed Black men and women, and police violence against protesters and journalists.

We are encouraged to contact foreign embassies in Washington D.C. that are members of the UNHRC (see list here) especially U.S. allies and urge them to support international accountability for police killings in the U.S. This is a call made by families of victims of police killings in the United States and over 660 groups from 66 countries to mandate an independent Commission of Inquiry.

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