UNESCO summit in Barcelona ends with historic anti-racism pact

The fourth edition of UNESCO’s Global Forum Against Racism and Discrimination, held this week in Barcelona, culminated in a landmark anti-racism agreement.

The newly formed Global Alliance aims to mobilize international and regional institutions, governments, the private sector, and the media and arts communities to "redouble efforts" in the fight against discrimination.

The pact will prioritize accountability by fostering spaces for "impactful political dialogue" and establishing measurable indicators to track progress on racial equity and justice initiatives.

The agreement was reached after a two-day summit in Barcelona, which brought together 140 political leaders, activists, and experts from 85 countries.

Organizers reported 1,400 in-person attendees, with over 50,000 following the discussions online. With 150 speakers, this edition of the Forum ended as the largest in its history.

The forum was also attended by equality activists, including figures such as musician Nile Rodgers, former footballer Lilian Thuram, and 1986 Nobel Laureate in Literature Wole Soyinka, who was the first African writer to receive this prestigious recognition.

"We are proud to launch this global alliance," said Gabriela Ramos, UNESCO's assistant director-general for social and human sciences, as she announced the deal. 

Ramos explained that the initiative will allow different countries to share records, protocols and information in the fight against racism.

"It will also support civil society and involve businesses and local governments, as they are an important element of strength," she added.

The meeting takes place in a global context where "forms of discrimination are not diminishing" and hate speech is widespread in the public sphere, Ramos said.

She explained that of all reported incidents of discrimination and racism covered by the media, 38% are based on race, 29% on gender and another third on ethnicity.

In addition, the latest EU Eurobarometer showed that more than 21% of people over the age of 15 reported experiencing discrimination in 2022, despite the low level of official complaints on these issues.

The event was also attended by Colombia's Vice President and Minister of Equality, Francia Márquez, who urged that the alliance not remain just a declaration of intent. 

Márquez called for specific resources to be allocated to combat the effects of "colonial structures and slavery" and to "repair" the damage caused by decades of "white supremacy."

"Fighting racism is not just a problem for racialized people, it is a problem for humanity," she stressed.