Joint Statement For World Day of Social Justice

Washington D.C., February 20, 2023: The Congressional Black Caucus Institute (CBCI) and the United Nations Association of the United States of America (UNA-USA) are partners in the effort to increase the knowledge of global issues within the United States of America in order to build an American constituency that advocates for the United Nations. Since 2021, our organizations respectively and jointly seek to inform, inspire and engage broader audiences in activities at the local and global levels that raise awareness and support for the important work of the United Nations as defined by the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

CBCI and UNA-USA pause, today, to recognize the World Day of Social Justice. This year’s theme, Overcoming Barriers and Unleashing Opportunities for Social Justice focuses on two central recommendations of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ 2021 report entitled “Our Common Agenda”: strengthening global solidarity and re-building trust in government.

UN Secretary-General Guterres says, “The 2023 World Day of Social Justice provides an opportunity to foster dialogue with Member States, youth, social partners, civil society, UN organizations and other stakeholders on actions needed to strengthen the social contract that has been fractured by rising inequalities, conflicts and weakened institutions that are meant to protect the rights of workers. Despite these multiple crises, there are many opportunities to build a coalition for social justice and to unleash greater investments in decent jobs, with a particular focus on the green, digital and care economy, and on young people.”

CBCI and UNA-USA acknowledge the many social justice movements of yesterday, today, and tomorrow designed to advance peaceful and equitable societies with the goal of making the world a better place for its most marginalized citizens.
“Since receiving our UN-ECOSOC Consultative Status in 2017, the Congressional Black Caucus Institute has broadened our scope globally to address social justice issues affecting the diaspora through our Global African Diaspora Initiative,” said Vanessa Griddine-Jones, Executive Director of the Congressional Black Caucus Institute. “In so doing, we acknowledge that we have dual responsibilities as American citizens and global citizens. For this reason, we are partners with UNA-USA in efforts to further diversify the pipeline to careers in international affairs. “

Recognizing the need to create greater opportunities for underrepresented groups to shape the world of international affairs, UNA-USA launched the UNA-USA Fellowship Initiative with funding from the Schmidt Futures and the Eleanor Crook Foundation.
This opportunity seeks to provide financial resources to Americans who are either in their final year of college, or recent graduates of college, and first year masters students. Applicants must have first applied for, and been accepted to, an internship with the United Nations or one of its agencies. To learn more about opportunities with the United Nations, please click here.

The UNA-USA Fellowship Initiative also provides access to networks for both personal and professional advancement. “We live in a world where opportunity comes through the networks that you have,” said Troy Wolfe, Senior Director, Partnerships & Special Initiatives, and lead for the UNA-USA Fellowship Program at the United Nations Association of the United States of America. “The promise and power of your degrees can only be fully realized through the extent to which you are connected to other stakeholders.”

The partnership between the Congressional Black Caucus Institute and the United Nations Association of the United States of America is proving instrumental with increasing the pipeline of future leaders, who when give the opportunity, will lend their talents and expertise to advancing diplomacy. In this way, both organizations are Overcoming Barriers and Unleashing Opportunities for Social Justice.
UNA-USA is the largest network of UN supporters in the United States. To learn more about the UNA-USA Fellowship and CBCI, please visit: unausa.org/Fellowship/ and cbcinstitute.org.