That the House of Representatives—
encourages the recognition and celebration of the collective history and achievements made by people of African descent;
reaffirms the importance of inclusion and the full and equal participation of people of African descent around the world in all aspects of political, economic, social, and cultural life;
recognizes that, as a result of their skin color and ancestry, many Black Europeans have wrongfully experienced injustices in the public and private sector;
welcomes parliamentary activities, including those of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Parliamentary Assembly, to engage in efforts to promote racial equality and combat racial discrimination through efforts such as introducing legislation, speaking out against racism, increasing the political participation of racial minorities, and working with Black European and other minority communities to develop relevant policies;
urges European governments and members of civil society and the private sector, in consultation with Black European communities, to develop and implement initiatives to combat racial discrimination and promote racial equality in Europe, by—
drafting and implementing antidiscrimination, special measures, hate crimes, migration and integration, and other laws and policies to address discrimination and disparities and promote equality, noting the recommendations of the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, the Experts Working Group on People of African Descent (WGPAD), the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance, the European Union Fundamental Rights Agency (EUFRA), the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Contemporary Forms of Racism and Independent Expert on minority issues, and the OSCE Personal Representative on Combating Racism, Xenophobia and Discrimination;
promoting and funding research, including the collection of national census data on Black Europeans and its inclusion in the annual reports of the EUFRA;
providing technical support, training, and funding to Black European civil society groups working to combat racism, discrimination, and inequality, and uphold basic human rights in Europe;
introducing national measures to counter stereotypical images of persons of African descent, by revising textbooks, increasing efforts to include Black Europeans in history and heritage institutions, and remembering victims of colonialism, slavery, and other atrocities;
developing or increasing financial support for funds to assist victims of hate crimes with legal assistance and compensation when incapacitated due to physical or emotional injuries;
developing specific initiatives that address the special concerns of Black European women and youth;
actively promoting racial and ethnic minority participation at all levels of national, regional, and local government through the education of civil and political rights, including the legislative process and advocacy of legislative issues relevant to racial and ethnic minority communities, development of targeted professional development and hiring strategies, increased youth and community outreach, and self-organization and other empowerment initiatives; and
recruiting, training, and hiring Black Europeans for professional positions in support of these initiatives;
urges the Secretary of State to—
provide technical assistance and other support for European governments and members of the civil society and private sector to fulfill the initiatives outlined above;
increase support for the WGPAD; and
appoint a Senior Advisor on Afro-descent peoples at the Department of State and create a Fund for the Inclusion of Racial and Ethnic minorities modeled after the Department’s International Fund for Women and Girls and LGBT Global Equality Funds; and
supports the adoption of a “Joint Action Plan on Racial and Ethnic Equality and Inclusion” between the European Union and United States and implementation of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly 2011 Resolution on Strengthening Efforts to Combat Racism and Xenophobia and Foster Inclusion to assist in fulfilling the initiatives above.