Resolution adopted by the General Assembly  on 22 December 2023          [on the report of the Third Committee (A/78/478, para. 33)]       78/234. A global call for concrete action for the elimination of racism,  racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance and the  comprehensive implementation of and follow-up to the Durban  Declaration and Programme of Action        The General Assembly,    Recalling all its previous resolutions on the comprehensive follow-up to the  World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related  Intolerance and the effective implementation of the Durban Declaration and  Programme of Action adopted by the World Conference,1 in particular its resolutions  66/144 of 19 December 2011, 67/155 of 20 December 2012, 76/226 of 24 December  2021 and 77/205 of 15 December 2022, as well as its resolutions 75/314 of 2 August  2021 and 76/1 of 22 September 2021, and in this regard underlining the imperative  need for their full and effective implementation,    Recalling also the suffering of the victims of racism, racial discrimination,  xenophobia and related intolerance, and the need to honour their memory,     Calling upon States to honour the memory of victims of the historical injustices  of slavery, the slave trade, including the transatlantic slave trade, colonialism and  apartheid,    Stressing that the outcome of the World Conference against Racism, Racial  Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance has the same status as the  outcomes of all the major United Nations conferences, summits and special sessions  in the human rights and social fields, and that the Durban Declaration and Programme  __________________    1  See A/CONF.189/12 and A/CONF.189/12/Corr.1, chap. I.   A/RES/78/234  A global call for concrete action for the elimination of racism, racial  discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance and the  comprehensive implementation of and follow-up to the Durban  Declaration and Programme of Action   23-26238 2/11    of Action remains a solid basis and the only instructive outcome of the World  Conference, which prescribes comprehensive measures for combating all the scourges  of racism and adequate remedies for victims, and noting with concern the lack of  effective implementation thereof,    Expressing deep concern at emerging obstacles to the enjoyment of the right to  freedom of thought, conscience and religion or belief 2 and at instances of intolerance,  discrimination, incitement to violence and violence against persons based on religion  or belief, inter alia, the increasing number of related acts of violence, and recalling  that the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action calls upon States, in opposing  all forms of racism, to recognize the need to counter antisemitism, anti-Arabism and  Islamophobia worldwide,     Alarmed at the global rise in hate speech, constituting incitement to racial  discrimination, hostility and violence, stressing the importance of addressing it, in  accordance with international law, and in this regard welcoming the observance of  18 June as the International Day for Countering Hate Speech 3 and noting the issuance  of the United Nations Guidance Note on Addressing and Countering COVID-19- related Hate Speech on 11 May 2020,     Underlining the need to promote tolerance, inclusion and respect for diversity  and the need to seek common ground among and within civilizations in order to  address common challenges to humanity that threaten shared values, universal human  rights and the fight against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related  intolerance, through cooperation, partnership and inclusion,    Alarmed at the spread in many parts of the world of various racist extremist  movements based on ideologies that seek to promote nationalist, right-wing agendas  and racial superiority, and stressing that these practices fuel racism, racial  discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance,    Deploring the ongoing and resurgent scourges of racism, racial discrimination,  xenophobia and related intolerance in many regions of the world, often targeting  migrants and refugees, as well as people of African descent, expressing concern that  some political leaders and parties have supported such an environment, and in this  context expressing its support for migrants and refugees in the context of the severe  discrimination that they may face,    Reaffirming the necessity of eliminating racial discrimination against migrants,  including migrant workers, in relation to issues such as employment, social services,  including education and health, and access to justice, and that their treatment must be  in accordance with international human rights instruments and free from racism,  racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance,    Deploring the recent incidents of excessive use of force and other human rights  violations by law enforcement officers against peaceful demonstrators defending the  rights of Africans and of people of African descent, and recalling Human Rights  Council resolutions 44/20 of 17 July 2020, 4  47/21 of 13 July 2021, 5  48/18 of  11 October 2021,6 51/32 of 7 October 20227 and 54/27 of 12 October 2023,8  __________________    2  Universal Declaration of Human Rights, art. 18 (see resolution 217 A (III)).    3  Resolution 75/309.    4  See Official Records of the General Assembly, Seventy-fifth Session, Supplement No. 53  (A/75/53), chap. V, sect. A.    5  Ibid., Seventy-sixth Session, Supplement No. 53 (A/76/53), chap. VII, sect. A.    6  Ibid., Supplement No. 53A (A/76/53/Add.1), chap. IV, sect. A.    7  Ibid., Seventy-seventh Session, Supplement No. 53A (A/77/53/Add.1), chap. III, sect. A.    8  Ibid., Seventy-eighth Session, Supplement No. 53A (A/78/53/Add.1), chap. III, sect. A.   A global call for concrete action for the elimination of racism, racial  discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance and the  comprehensive implementation of and follow-up to the Durban  Declaration and Programme of Action  A/RES/78/234   3/11 23-26238      Stressing that law enforcement officials, in the performance of their duties, shall  respect and protect human dignity and maintain and uphold the human rights of all  persons,    Recognizing the multiple and aggravated forms of racism, racial discrimination,  xenophobia and related intolerance, which may exacerbate individuals’ experiences  with police violence,    Recognizing also that racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related  intolerance, as well as apartheid, have deep negative impacts on the enjoyment of  human rights, and therefore require a united and comprehensive response from States,    Expressing concern at the disruption to economies and societies caused by the  coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, and its negative impact on the enjoyment  of human rights around the world, disproportionately affecting certain individuals,  including those facing racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related  intolerance, which the pandemic has highlighted and exposed, including underlying  deep and long-standing structural inequalities and fundamental problems in various  areas of social, economic, civil and political life, and its exacerbation of existing  inequalities, and recalling that systemic and structural racism and racial  discrimination further exacerbate inequality in access to health care and treatment,  leading to racial disparities in health outcomes and a higher rate of mortality and  morbidity among individuals and groups facing racial discrimination,    Noting with concern the disproportionate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on  the existing inequalities within our societies and regretting that, in that context,  persons belonging to racial and ethnic minorities and to other groups, including  Asians and people of Asian descent, especially women and girls, have been victims  of racist violence, threats of violence, discrimination and stigmatization,    Recalling the three Decades for Action to Combat Racism and Racial  Discrimination previously declared by the General Assembly, and regretting that the  Programmes of Action for those Decades were not fully implemented and that their  objectives have yet to be attained,    Noting that 10 December 2023 will mark the seventy-fifth anniversary of the  adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 9  and that 25 June 2023  marked the thirtieth anniversary of the adoption of the Vienna Declaration and  Programme of Action,10 and stressing in this regard the importance of fully integrating  the matter of combating racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related  intolerance into these commemorations and their implementation,     Stressing in this respect the need to also address negative stereotypes,  stigmatization and the assigning of identity based on race as essential in the fight  against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance,    Reiterating that all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights  and have the potential to contribute constructively to the development and well-being  of their societies, and that any doctrine of racial superiority is scientifically false,  morally condemnable, socially unjust and dangerous and must be rejected, together  with theories that attempt to determine the existence of separate human races,    Underlining the intensity, magnitude and organized nature of slavery and the  slave trade, including the transatlantic slave trade, and the associated historical  injustices, as well as the untold suffering caused by colonialism and apartheid, and  that Africans and people of African descent, Asians and people of Asian descent and  __________________    9  Resolution 217 A (III).    10  A/CONF.157/24 (Part I), chap. III.   A/RES/78/234  A global call for concrete action for the elimination of racism, racial  discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance and the  comprehensive implementation of and follow-up to the Durban  Declaration and Programme of Action   23-26238 4/11    Indigenous Peoples continue to be victims, and acknowledging that the ongoing  effects must be remedied,    Acknowledging the efforts and initiatives undertaken by States to prohibit racial  discrimination and racial segregation and to engender the full enjoyment of economic,  social and cultural rights, as well as civil and political rights,    Emphasizing that, despite efforts in this regard, millions of human beings  continue to be victims of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related  intolerance, including their contemporary forms and manifestations, some of which  manifest in violent forms,    Welcoming the efforts made by civil society in support of the follow-up  mechanisms in the implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of  Action,    Recalling the appointment of the five independent eminent experts by the  Secretary-General on 16 June 2003, pursuant to General Assembly resolution 56/266  of 27 March 2002, with the mandate to follow up on the implementation of the  provisions of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action and to make  appropriate recommendations thereon,    Underlining the primacy of the political will, international cooperation and  adequate funding at the national, regional and international levels needed to address  all forms and manifestations of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related  intolerance for the successful implementation of the Durban Declaration and  Programme of Action,    Recalling its resolution 2142 (XXI) of 26 October 1966, in which it proclaimed  21 March as the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination,    Recalling also its resolution 62/122 of 17 December 2007, in which it  designated 25 March as the annual International Day of Remembrance of the Victims  of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade,    Recalling further, in the above context, the erection of the permanent memorial  for the victims of slavery and the slave trade, including the transatlantic slave trade,  the Ark of Return, based on the theme “Acknowledge the tragedy, consider the legacy,  lest we forget”,    Welcoming the call upon all the former colonial Powers for reparations,  consistent with paragraphs 157 and 158 of the Durban Programme of Action, to  redress the historical injustices of slavery and the slave trade, including the  transatlantic slave trade,    Recognizing and affirming that the global fight against racism, racial  discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance and all their abhorrent and  contemporary forms and manifestations is a matter of priority for the international  community,        I      International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination      1.  Reaffirms the paramount importance of universal adherence to and the full  and effective implementation of the International Convention on the Elimination of  All Forms of Racial Discrimination, 11  adopted by the General Assembly in its  resolution 2106 A (XX) of 21 December 1965, in addressing the scourges of racism  and racial discrimination;  __________________    11  United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 660, No. 9464.   A global call for concrete action for the elimination of racism, racial  discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance and the  comprehensive implementation of and follow-up to the Durban  Declaration and Programme of Action  A/RES/78/234   5/11 23-26238      2.  Calls upon States that have not done so to accede to and/or ratify the  Convention, and States parties to consider making the declaration under article 14 of  the Convention;    3.  Calls upon all States that have not yet done so, and consistent with  paragraph 75 of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, to consider  withdrawing their reservations to article 4 of the International Convention on the  Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination;    4.  Underlines, in the above context, that the provisions of the Convention do  not respond effectively to contemporary manifestations of racial discrimination, in  particular in relation to xenophobia and related intolerance, which is recognized as  the rationale behind the convening of the World Conference against Racism, Racial  Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance in 2001;    5.  Takes note of the acknowledgement by the Human Rights Council and its  subsidiary structures of the existence of both procedural and substantive gaps in the  Convention, which must be filled as a matter of urgency, necessity and priority;    6.  Expresses its concern at the lack of progress in the elaboration of  complementary standards to the Convention to fill existing gaps through the  development of new normative standards aimed at combating all forms of  contemporary and resurgent scourges of racism;    7.  Recalls Human Rights Council resolution 34/36 of 24 March 2017,12 in  which the Council requested the Chair-Rapporteur of the Ad Hoc Committee on the  Elaboration of Complementary Standards to the International Convention on the  Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination to ensure the commencement of  the negotiations on the draft additional protocol to the Convention criminalizing acts  of a racist and xenophobic nature during the tenth session of the Ad Hoc Committee,  and takes note of the report of the thirteenth session of the Committee in this regard;    8.  Requests the Chair-Rapporteur of the Ad Hoc Committee on the  Elaboration of Complementary Standards to present a progress report to the General  Assembly at its seventy-ninth session;        II      International Decade for People of African Descent      9.  Recalls the proclamation of the International Decade for People of African  Descent, as contained in its resolution 68/237 of 23 December 2013, and the  celebratory launch of the Decade on 10 December 2014;    10. Also recalls the programme of activities for the implementation of the  International Decade for People of African Descent, as adopted in its resolution 69/16  of 18 November 2014;     11.  Welcomes the establishment of the Permanent Forum on People of African  Descent, through its resolution 75/314 of 2 August 2021, which determines its  mandate and composition, as a consultative mechanism for people of African descent  and other relevant stakeholders and as a platform for improving the safety and quality  of life and livelihoods of people of African descent, as well as an advisory body to  the Human Rights Council;  __________________    12  See Official Records of the General Assembly, Seventy-second Session, Supplement No. 53  (A/72/53), chap. IV, sect. A.   A/RES/78/234  A global call for concrete action for the elimination of racism, racial  discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance and the  comprehensive implementation of and follow-up to the Durban  Declaration and Programme of Action   23-26238 6/11      12. Also welcomes the convening of the first two sessions of the Permanent  Forum on People of African Descent and the large participation of civil society and  people of African descent from around the world;    13. Notes with concern the limited resources available in support of the  Permanent Forum on People of African Descent;    14. Requests the Secretary-General to enhance the operational and  programmatic support provided to the Permanent Forum secretariat, in particular to  fully support the mandate of the Permanent Forum, including in the logistical  organization of the annual session;    15. Requests the Intergovernmental Working Group on the Effective  Implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action to devote at  least half of its annual session to the elaboration of a draft United Nations declaration  on the promotion and full respect of the human rights of people of African descent,  and also requests the Intergovernmental Working Group to present a status report on  the elaboration of the draft declaration to be considered by the General Assembly at  its seventy-ninth session;13    16.  Invites the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent and the Working  Group of Experts on People of African Descent, in accordance with their respective  mandates, to contribute to the elaboration of a draft United Nations declaration on the  promotion and full respect of the human rights of people of African descent;    17. Recalls the draft programme of action for the International Decade for  People of African Descent as an instructive framework in which all the initiatives  aimed at improving the quality of life of people of African descent are anchored and  which, if adopted, would contribute to the programme of activities for the  implementation of the International Decade for People of African Descent;    18. Also recalls that the Secretary-General will convene a final assessment of  the Decade, to take place within the framework of a high-level international event,  marking the closure of the Decade in 2024;    19. Requests the Secretary-General to report to the Assembly, before the end  of its eightieth session, on practical steps to be taken to make a Second International  Decade effective;    20. Requests the President of the General Assembly to take into consideration  the programme of activities for the implementation of the International Decade for  People of African Descent, drafted by the Intergovernmental Working Group on the  Effective Implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action and  adopted in resolution 69/16, and the theme of the International Decade for People of  African Descent, “People of African descent: recognition, justice and development”,  with a view to proclaiming the decade starting in 2025 the Second International  Decade for People of African Descent;    21. Takes note of the reports of the Secretary-General on the programme of  activities for the implementation of the International Decade for People of African  Descent14 and on a global call for concrete action for the total elimination of racism,  racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance and the comprehensive  implementation of and follow-up to the Durban Declaration and Programme of  Action;15  __________________    13  See resolution 69/16.    14  A/78/317.    15  A/78/197.   A global call for concrete action for the elimination of racism, racial  discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance and the  comprehensive implementation of and follow-up to the Durban  Declaration and Programme of Action  A/RES/78/234   7/11 23-26238      22. Acknowledges and profoundly regrets the untold suffering and evils  inflicted on millions of men and women and children as a result of slavery, the slave  trade, the transatlantic slave trade, colonialism, apartheid, genocide and past  tragedies, noting that some States have taken the initiative to apologize and have paid  reparations, where appropriate, for grave and massive violations committed, further  calls upon those that have not yet expressed remorse or presented apologies to find  some way to contribute to the restoration of the dignity of victims, and calls upon all  the relevant States that have not already done so to dispense reparatory justice,  contributing to the development and recognition of the dignity of the affected States  and their people;    23. Takes note of the report of the Working Group of Experts on People of  African Descent, 16  invites the Human Rights Council, through the Chair of the  Working Group, to continue to submit a report on the work of the Working Group to  the General Assembly, and in this regard invites the Chair of the Working Group to  engage in an interactive dialogue with the Assembly under the item entitled  “Elimination of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance” at  its seventy-ninth session;    24. Takes note with appreciation of the proclamation of 31 August as the  International Day for People of African Descent, and invites all Member States, all  organizations and bodies of the United Nations system and other international and  regional organizations, the private sector and academia, as well as civil society, to  observe the International Day for People of African Descent in an appropriate manner,  in accordance with its resolution 75/170 of 16 December 2020;    25. Stresses that everyone, including people and communities of African  descent, should be able to participate in an inclusive manner and guide the design and  implementation of processes that contribute to halting, reversing and repairing the  lasting consequences and ongoing manifestations of systemic racism, and notably  acknowledges the important role that young people have played and should continue  to play in these processes;     26. Encourages States to examine the extent and impact of systemic racism  and to adopt effective legal, policy and institutional measures that address racism  beyond a summation of individualized acts, recommends that progress be measured  according to indicators grounded in impact rather than intent, and further calls for the  recognition of the impact of racial discrimination and inequality experienced by  children and youth of African descent in all areas of life, including the administration  of justice, law enforcement, education, health, family life and development; 17    27. Welcomes the establishment of an international independent expert  mechanism, comprising three experts with law enforcement and human rights  expertise, aimed at furthering transformative change for racial justice and equality in  the context of law enforcement globally, especially where relating to the legacies of  colonialism and the transatlantic slave trade in enslaved Africans, to investigate the  responses of Governments to peaceful anti-racism protests and all violations of  international human rights law and to contribute to accountability and redress for  victims;    28. Requests the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human  Rights and the Department of Global Communications of the Secretariat to continue  awareness-raising efforts and public information campaigns in support of the  International Decade for People of African Descent through the use of social networks  __________________    16  A/78/277.    17  See A/77/294.   A/RES/78/234  A global call for concrete action for the elimination of racism, racial  discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance and the  comprehensive implementation of and follow-up to the Durban  Declaration and Programme of Action   23-26238 8/11    and digital media, including the wide distribution of user-friendly, concise and  accessible versions of material in this regard;        III      Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights      29. Requests the Secretary-General and the Office of the United Nations High  Commissioner for Human Rights to provide the resources necessary for the effective  fulfilment of the mandates of the Intergovernmental Working Group on the Effective  Implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, the Working  Group of Experts on People of African Descent, the Group of Independent Eminent  Experts on the Implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action,  the Ad Hoc Committee on the Elaboration of Complementary Standards and the  Permanent Forum on People of African Descent, and in this regard to ensure the  participation of experts in each session of those follow-up mechanisms in order to  provide advice on the specific issues under discussion and assist the mechanisms in  their deliberations and the adoption of action-oriented recommendations in relation  to the implementation of the Declaration and Programme of Action;    30. Recalls Human Rights Council resolutions 43/1 and 47/21, and also recalls  the report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on the  promotion and protection of the human rights and fundamental freedoms of Africans  and of people of African descent against excessive use of force and other human rights  violations by law enforcement officers and the annex thereto, entitled “Four-point  Agenda towards Transformative Change for Racial Justice and Equality”, submitted  pursuant to resolution 43/1;18    31. Stresses the importance of consolidating all efforts aimed at combating  racism under a single anti-racial discrimination unit, including on the issues of racial  equality and justice;        IV      Group of Independent Eminent Experts on the Implementation of the Durban  Declaration and Programme of Action      32. Welcomes the report of the Group of Independent Eminent Experts on the  Implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action on its eighth  session,19 and in this regard notes that the session was held from 8 to 12 August 2022;    33. Recalls its resolution 77/205 and the recommendations contained therein  with regard to the Group of Independent Eminent Experts, and further agrees to limit  the tenure of the Eminent Experts to four years, which may be renewed once, and that  the current Experts will continue to serve until the appointment of new Experts is  finalized;     34. Also recalls the request to the Secretary-General to appoint the five  Eminent Experts, one from each region, from among candidates proposed by the  President of the Human Rights Council, after consultation with the regional groups,  in line with the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action 20 and paragraph 13 of  resolution 56/266, by the end of 2023;    35. Requests the five regional groups to nominate a candidate for appointment  to the Group of Independent Eminent Experts in a timely fashion;    __________________    18  A/HRC/47/53.    19  See A/78/535.    20  A/CONF.189/12, para. 191 (b).   A global call for concrete action for the elimination of racism, racial  discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance and the  comprehensive implementation of and follow-up to the Durban  Declaration and Programme of Action  A/RES/78/234   9/11 23-26238        V      Trust fund for the Programme for the Decade for Action to Combat Racism and  Racial Discrimination      36. Recalls the establishment by the Secretary-General, in 1973, of the trust  fund for the Programme for the Decade for Action to Combat Racism and Racial  Discrimination as a funding mechanism that has been utilized for the implementation  of the activities of the three Decades for Action to Combat Racism and Racial  Discrimination declared by the General Assembly, and in this regard appreciates the  fact that the trust fund has also been utilized for the subsequent programmes and  operational activities transcending the three Decades;    37. Requests the Secretary-General to include, in his report on the  implementation of the present resolution to the General Assembly at its seventy-ninth  session, a section outlining the progress in the implementation of paragraph 18 of its  resolution 68/151 of 18 December 2013 regarding the revitalization of the trust fund  for the purpose of ensuring the successful implementation of the activities of the  International Decade for People of African Descent and enhancing the effectiveness of  the comprehensive follow-up to the World Conference against Racism, Racial  Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance and the effective implementation  of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action;    38. Strongly  appeals  to  all  Governments,  intergovernmental  and  non- governmental organizations and individuals, as well as other donors in a position  to do so, to contribute generously to the trust fund, and to that end requests the  Secretary-General to continue to undertake appropriate contacts and initiatives to  encourage contributions;        VI      Special Rapporteur of the Human Rights Council on contemporary forms of  racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance      39. Takes note of the report of the Special Rapporteur of the Human Rights  Council on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and  related intolerance,21 and encourages the Special Rapporteur, within her mandate, to  continue to focus on the issues of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and  related intolerance and incitement to hatred, which impede peaceful coexistence and  harmony within societies, and to submit reports in this regard to the Human Rights  Council and the General Assembly;    40. Reiterates its previous requests to the Special Rapporteur to consider  examining national models of mechanisms that measure racial equality and their value  added in the eradication of racial discrimination and to report on such challenges,  successes and best practices in her next report, and expresses concern at the lack of  progress in this regard;        VII      Commemoration of the adoption of the Durban Declaration and Programme  of Action      41. Takes note with appreciation of the adoption of a political declaration  aimed at mobilizing political will at the national, regional and international levels for  the full and effective implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of  Action and its follow-up processes during a one day high-level meeting of the General  Assembly, on 22 September 2021, commemorating the twentieth anniversary of the  __________________    21  A/78/302.   A/RES/78/234  A global call for concrete action for the elimination of racism, racial  discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance and the  comprehensive implementation of and follow-up to the Durban  Declaration and Programme of Action   23-26238 10/11    adoption of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, under the theme  “Reparations, racial justice and equality for people of African descent”; 22    42. Emphasizes the critical importance of increasing public support for the  Durban Declaration and Programme of Action and the participation of civil society  and other relevant stakeholders in its realization, and requests the United Nations  system to strengthen its awareness-raising campaigns to increase the visibility of the  message of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, its follow-up  mechanisms and the work of the United Nations in the fight against racism; 23    43. Invites Member States, United Nations entities, international and regional  organizations, civil society, including non-governmental organizations, and other  stakeholders to organize and support various high-visibility initiatives, aimed at  effectively increasing awareness at all levels, to commemorate the adoption of the  Durban Declaration and Programme of Action;    44. Requests the Secretary-General to establish a programme of outreach, with  the involvement of Member States and United Nations funds and programmes, as well  as civil society, including non-governmental organizations, to appropriately  commemorate the adoption of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action;    45. Calls upon Member States and the United Nations system to intensify  efforts to widely distribute copies of the Durban Declaration and Programme of  Action, and encourages efforts to ensure its translation and wide dissemination;    46. Expresses its appreciation for the continuing work of the mechanisms  mandated to follow up on the World Conference and the Durban Review Conference;        VIII      Follow-up and implementation activities      47. Acknowledges the guidance and leadership role of the Human Rights  Council, and encourages it to continue to oversee the implementation of the Durban  Declaration and Programme of Action and the outcome documents of the Durban  Review Conferences, including the commemoration of the twentieth anniversary of  the adoption of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action;    48. Requests the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human  Rights to continue to provide the Human Rights Council with all the support  necessary for it to achieve its objectives in this regard;    49. Welcomes the further consideration by the Human Rights Council, at its  fifty-fourth session, of the question of a multi-year programme of activities to provide  for the renewed and strengthened outreach activities needed to inform and mobilize  the global public in support of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action and  to strengthen awareness of the contribution that they have made in the struggle against  racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, in consultation with  Member States, national human rights institutions, relevant civil society organizations  and United Nations agencies, funds and programmes;    50. Also welcomes the efforts undertaken by the Human Rights Council,  through its Advisory Committee, in preparing a study on appropriate ways and means  of assessing the situation regarding racial equality, while identifying possible gaps  and overlaps;  __________________    22  Political declaration entitled “United against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and  related intolerance” (resolution 76/1).    23  See Human Rights Council resolution 51/32; see also A/77/233.   A global call for concrete action for the elimination of racism, racial  discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance and the  comprehensive implementation of and follow-up to the Durban  Declaration and Programme of Action  A/RES/78/234   11/11 23-26238      51. Further welcomes the commemorative event held on 21 March 2023 to  mark the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination;    52. Takes note with appreciation of the commemorative plenary meeting of  the General Assembly held on 27 March 2023 to mark the International Day of  Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade, on the  theme “Fighting slavery’s legacy of racism through transformative education”;    53. Requests the Secretary-General to submit to the General Assembly at its  seventy-ninth session a report on the implementation of the present resolution;    54. Requests the President of the General Assembly and the President of the  Human Rights Council to continue to convene annual commemorative meetings of  the Assembly and the Council during the commemoration of the International Day for  the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, with the appropriate focus and themes, and  in this context encourages the participation of eminent personalities active in the  struggle against racial discrimination, Member States and civil society organizations  in accordance with the rules of procedure of the Assembly and the Council,  respectively;    55. Decides to remain seized of this priority matter at its seventy-ninth session  under the item entitled “Elimination of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and  related intolerance”.