The Global Forum against Racism and Discrimination 2023 served as a critical springboard towards a future free from racism and discrimination. By bringing together diverse stakeholders, fostering dialogue, and generating concrete action plans, the forum ignited a global movement for racial justice. However, the journey ahead remains long and arduous. Continued commitment, sustained efforts, and unwavering resolve are necessary to transform the promises made in São Paulo into tangible realities. By amplifying the voices of marginalized communities, dismantling systemic barriers, and fostering a culture of inclusivity and equality, we can build a world where everyone has the opportunity to thrive, regardless of their race, ethnicity, or origin. Together, we can ensure that the “Race to the top” is not just a slogan but a reality.
Hey everyone! We’re here to tell you about something super important that happened recently—the Global Forum against Racism and Discrimination (GFERD) in São Paulo, Brazil! It took place from November 29th to December 1st, 2023, and it was all about making our world a fairer and more equal place.
The Big Idea: Race to the Top
Imagine a huge meeting where people from all over the world—like government officials, activists, artists, and even young people—gathered to talk about a big problem: racism and discrimination. They wanted to find ways to make things better for everyone, no matter where they come from or what they look like.
Looking at the Whole Picture
One cool thing about this meeting was that they didn’t just focus on racism alone. They also talked about how it mixes with other problems, like gender inequality, disabilities, and being poor. This helped them understand how some people face more than one problem at a time.
What They Talked About: Important Topics
- Inclusive Policies: They said we need rules that don’t just punish mean actions but also fix the reasons why racism happens, like not having the same chances for school, health, and jobs.
- Gender Equality: They talked about making sure girls and women of all colors are treated the same and have the same opportunities. This means stopping mean things like violence and making sure girls can get the health care they need.
- Helping Civil Society: They recognized that groups of people (like clubs or organizations) play a big role in making sure everyone is treated fairly. They want to make these groups stronger so they can help even more.
- Artificial Intelligence (AI): They worried that new computer programs might keep the unfair ideas we already have. They want rules to make sure these programs are fair and checked by real people.
- Indigenous Rights: They talked about how some communities, like the ones who were here first, face big problems. They want to make sure these communities are treated fairly.
- Cities, Art, and Education: They think cities and art can help teach everyone about fairness. They want schools to teach about being fair, and they want everyone to feel welcome in public places.
- Private Businesses Helping: They said companies should do more to fight racism. This means doing things like helping different kinds of businesses and supporting programs that fight racism.
What They Decided: Actions for a Better Future
After all these talks, they came up with some big plans:
- Declaration of São Paulo: A promise from important people and groups to work together for fairness. They said they’d do things like make better rules, teach about being fair, and give money where it’s needed.
- Global Action Plan: A plan that shows how they’ll make their promises happen. It’s like a map with steps and goals, so we can see if they’re doing what they said they would.
- Youth Forum: A special place just for young people to share their ideas and help make things better. They want young people to be leaders in stopping racism!
- Art and Culture Exhibition: A cool show where artists shared their work about fairness. It helped people see the problems and think about how we can fix them.
Challenges and What’s Next
Even though they made a lot of plans, there are still some tough things to fix:
- Making Plans Happen: Now they have to make sure they really do what they said. They need ways to check if things are getting better and to tell people if they’re not.
- Stopping Big Problems: Some problems, like old rules and ideas, are really hard to fix. It will take a long time and a lot of work to make sure everyone is treated the same.
- Getting Enough Help: Fixing things costs money, and they need to find good ways to get enough help. They’re talking about new ideas and asking different groups to work together.
- Checking and Changing Plans: They need ways to look at what they’re doing and change it if it’s not working. This helps them get better and fix problems faster.
- Working Together Everywhere: To make things better, everyone in the world needs to help. They’re talking about sharing ideas and helping each other so we can all have fair lives.
The Global Forum against Racism and Discrimination was like a big step towards a fairer world. But, there’s still a lot of work to do. Let’s hope they keep their promises, and together we can make sure everyone has a chance to be happy, no matter where they’re from or what they look like!
