On the International Day for People of African Descent, we celebrate the countless contributions that people of African Descent have made both in Canada and around the world.
For generations, people of African descent have played a key role in many parts of our society in Canada, including the sciences, sports, politics, business, research, education and the arts. Not only have they helped shape our country's identity, but their knowledge, efforts and contributions make our communities more prosperous and vibrant every day.
Today is also an opportunity to reflect on Canada's painful history and the distinct challenges people of African descent continue to face in their daily lives, such as systemic barriers, racism and discrimination.
The Government of Canada strongly believes in the power of inclusion as we aim to build a strong, fair and prosperous country for generations to come. It is this principle that drove our commitment to endorse the United Nations International Decade for People of African Descent in 2018, making Canada the first country belonging to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) to formally recognize the UN Decade.
Since endorsing the UN Decade, we have committed as much as $872 million to Black-focused initiatives-from racial justice to entrepreneurship to economic dignity. Transformative initiatives such as the Black Entrepreneurship Program, the Black-Led Philanthropic Endowment Fund and the Supporting Black Canadian Communities Initiative are supporting Black communities and strengthening the capacity of Black-led, Black-focused, and Black-serving community organizations across the country.
While the UN Decade runs from 2015 to 2024, we announced last February an extension domestically of the federal government's efforts to 2028 to promote equity and empower Black communities within these frameworks. In April, I also signalled Canada's intention to support the UN Permanent Forum on People of African Descent's call for a second Decade.
On the International Day for People of African Descent, I reaffirm our commitment to support Black communities in Canada in reaching their full potential and building a better, fairer and more inclusive future for everyone.
