The United Nations Decade for People of Africa Descent
THE United Nations International Decade for People of African Descent (UNDPAD) is directed at fellow human beings who, over the past centuries, have been systemically and systematically groomed by agents of the state, to dishonour the human rights of persons of discernible ancestry in Africa.
In the United Nations, the international community United has designated people of African descent as a distinct group, whose human rights must be promoted and protected.
The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed the period from 2015 to 2024 as the International Decade for People of African Descent in its Resolution 68/237 of December 23, 2014. The Resolution, and stipulates as the theme for the said Decade, “People of African descent: Recognition, justice and development”.
The Decade has been officially recognized by Canada (January 30, 2018), Ontario (February 2017), and Ottawa (March 2018).
Why adopt UNDPAD?
To adopt UNDPAD for Ottawa is,
- to break away from past conditioning for inequities and purposefully be an agent of change.
- to advance the motto of the city of Ottawa-Advance-Ottawa-En-Avant
- to add real meaning to the three white streamers of the city’s flag which symbolize– Unity – Harmony – and working together towards a common goal
Consider:
• Legacy. We have inherited the past. We own the present. We are creating the future.
• to energize Ubuntu Exchanges – I promote and protect your humanity. You promote and protect mine
• to realize the motto of Ottawa, Advance-Ottawa-En-Avant.
• To deal up-front with root causes – Consider The Ottawa Carleton District School Board’s motions.
• It is the right thing to do for all children of the maple leaf – children of all human colours of the sun, however the magic of melanin is manifest.
• To protect children from trauma and being traumatizers re historic, inherited and the “fall out” on them, that compromises their joy in being alive
• To make and keep covenant to children of Ottawa to vigilantly and vigorously protect and promote their mental health and existential well -being.
• To recognize and heal intergeneration transmission of historic and cultural trauma, inherited from prior generation that continues to impact on the current generation, putting them at risk, in various ways, including epigenetic processes that increase vulnerability to various mental disorders.
• Engage the “Village” to collaborate on behalf of the best interest of the child -every child of the maple leaf; children of all human colours of the sun
• to assert or break way from past conditioning to enable inequities
• to collaborate with community organizations and fellow citizens to form a critical mass, enabling our community to Ottawa to be experienced as a safe, child friendly community by all children of the maple leaf; children of all human colors of the sun
“It may be hard for an egg to turn into a bird: it would be a jolly sight harder for it to learn to fly while remaining an egg”.
~C. S. Lewis
UNDPAD in Ottawa
To mark March 21, 2018, the United Nations International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, His Worship, Mayor Jim Watson, City of Ottawa, proclaimed the city’s adoption of The Decade.
As agents of change, in Ottawa,
- are cognizant of the historic and role of education and justice systems in Canada, in perpetuating and acting out institutional injustices based on myths, doctrines, false science, and narratives that have resulted in strategies and behaviours which have compromised how children of African descent feel, think, grow and actualize their potential, promise, purpose and freedom to be, in the world;
- make and keep covenant to children of Ottawa to vigilantly and vigorously protect and promote their existential health and well being.
The Spirit and Intent of UNDPAD in Ottawa – Existential Connections
UNDPAD connects to,
- All world teachings that recognize the sacredness and human rights of every child
- Ubuntu Exchanges –I promote and protect your humanity. You promote and protect mine.
- Ottawa experienced as a safe, child friendly community for children of the maple leaf; children of all human colours of the sun*
- COVENANTS to Children in
- family, community, society, including,
- Canadian Human Rights Act
- UN Convention on the Rights of the Child
- UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
- UN Decade for People of African Descent. Recognition. Development. Justice
About J’Nikira Dinqinesh Centre - Every Child is Sacred
The work of the JDEC-ECIS is framed by the Canadian Human Rights Act, UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, The Truth and Reconciliation of Calls to Action, and the UN Decade for People of African Descent.
The Aspiration – Ottawa experienced as a safe child friendly community
The Legacy Work: To be an Agent of Change, interrupting the transmission of historic, inter-generation trauma
The Theme: We go HIGH (Healing Inter-Generation Harm)
2021 Focus: The United Nations International
Decade for People of African Descent and related COVENANTS to generations