The UN General Assembly proclaimed 2015-2024 as the International Decade for People of African Descent and one of its main objectives to:

Promote a greater knowledge of and respect for the diverse heritage, culture and contribution of people of African descent to the development of societies.

The Durban Declaration and Programme of Action3 is a comprehensive United Nations framework and a solid foundation for combating racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, and represents a new stage in the efforts of the United Nations and the international community to restore the rights and dignity of people of African descent.

In the spirit of education on equality and awareness-raising, States should:

(g) Ensure that textbooks and other educational materials reflect historical facts accurately as they relate to past tragedies and atrocities, in particular slavery, the slave trade, the transatlantic slave trade and colonialism, so as to avoid stereotypes and the distortion or falsification of these historical facts, which may lead to racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, including the role of respective countries therein.

The Social Studies Council of the ATA would like to invite you to join us at our Fall Conference on October 17-19, 2024, to be held at the Banff Park Lodge. Our theme is Magnifying the Mysteries of Canada’s History with a focus on the contributions of people of African Origin to Canada.