Media Center

Press Advisory

OAS to Celebrate V Inter-American Week for People of African Descent in the Americas

The Organization of American States’ Secretary General, Luis Almagro, and Assistant Secretary General, Nestor Mendez, will launch the 2022 Inter-American Week for People of African Descent in the Americas on Monday, March 21.  This annual event is an opportunity for OAS member states to reflect on issues affecting persons of African descent and commemorate their significant contributions to the development of societies in the Americas.

Established through Permanent Council Resolution 1093, which was adopted by member states in February 2018, the OAS has dedicated this week to remembering the legacy of slavery and the slave trade, and their consequences in the lives of Afro-descendants who continue to confront numerous challenges that impede their full enjoyment of human rights and social inclusion. These topics will be addressed in the many wide-ranging activities that will focus on this year’s theme: Stories of Courage in the Americas: Resistance to Slavery and Unity against Racism.

Resolution 1093 mandates the OAS member states to mark the Inter-American Week “with activities that foster greater awareness and respect for the diversity of the heritage and culture of people of African descent.” This year’s activities will be observed from March 21-25, both at OAS headquarters and in member states via the national offices.

The activities will include: 

From March 21 to 25:  

• A virtual exhibition by the Art Museum of the Americas, which will include artwork depicting the daily lives of Afro-descendants, their culture and heritage. The exhibition will be displayed on the OAS website and social media. 
• Short films which will which showcase the fortitude of Afro-descendants will be aired virtually and at the Art Museum of the Americas.  
• The Reading Corner, an initiative that will promote the literary wealth of the hemisphere and highlight the stories of Afro-descendants, by compiling and disseminating literary works submitted by member states and OAS workforce members.  

On March 25: The OAS Permanent Council will hold a special meeting to commemorate the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade.   

The OAS will also broadcast a new podcast series on stories from various people in the hemisphere examining the shared heritage of slavery and the continuing struggle against racism, as well as A Chat with the OAS, a virtual conversation featuring the Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Ralph Everard Gonsalves, which will focus on The Case for Reparations in the Americas. 

What: Inter-American Week for People of African Descent in the Americas 

When: March 21-25 

Where: OAS website and social media 

Reference: AVI-045/22