UNA-NYC on George Floyd
The United Nations Association of New York (UNA-NYC) is saddened by the death of George Floyd, as well as the countless other deaths embedded in a history of racial violence and police brutality against the black community.
We do not stand — and will never stand — for racism, racial injustice, and the systemic oppression of black lives in the United States.
As protests continue throughout the country, we mourn collectively with the black community and stand in solidarity with peaceful demonstrators demanding to be heard and advocating for structural change.
UNA-NYC is an educational institution that supports and advocates for the principles and vital work of the United Nations. Foundational to those principles is the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which recognizes that the fundamental human rights of freedom and equality must be universally protected if we are to have a just and peaceful world.
At this historic moment of reckoning for our country, UNA-NYC reaffirms its fierce condemnation of any infringement or denial of human rights based on one’s skin color.
We strongly believe that a peaceful world in which human rights are respected cannot be achieved unless we expose the causes of racism and commit to lasting change for a better future.
We back the words of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet:
“The voices calling for an end to the killings of unarmed African Americans need to be heard. The voices calling for an end to police violence need to be heard. And the voices calling for an end to the endemic and structural racism that blights US society need to be heard.”
We all have a responsibility to use our voice and our voting power to demand accountability and take action against blatant inequality and social injustice.
We recognize that as the host city chapter of UNA, we have a particular responsibility to use our influence to push for change. We recognize that our city reflects the racial injustice embedded in American society. We acknowledge with pride that New York City has long been a focal point of movements demanding societal change and we stand with the protesters doing so now.
UNA-NYC is proud to stand up for justice and equality — and proud to stand in solidarity with the black community.
You can read the statement from Hon. Teta Banks, UNA-USA National Council Chair, on behalf of all UNA-USA chapters here.