The federal government hosted a series of events from February 6 to 8 to celebrate Black History Month 2024 under the theme “Black Excellence: A Heritage to Celebrate; a Future to Build”.
These events highlighted the achievements and contributions of Black Canadians in various fields such as arts, business, social justice and politics. They also highlighted the challenges and opportunities that Black Canadians face in their pursuit of excellence and equity.
The government took the opportunity to reaffirm its commitment to support and empower Black communities across the country and to foster a more inclusive and diverse society for all Canadians.
One of the highlights of the Black History Month celebrations was the announcement by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau regarding the extension of the UN Decade for people of African Descent in Canada until 2028. The government reaffirmed its commitment to continue the efforts to promote equality and empowerment for Black Canadians, and to support their leadership in various fields, such as social justice, business and community.
In 2018, Canada endorsed the UN International Decade for People of African Descent, which runs from 2015 to 2024. In so doing, Canada became the first country belonging to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development to formally recognize the UN Decade. Since then, this framework has served as a roadmap to make important and tangible investments totaling $860 million in Black-focused initiatives right across the country.
