OFFICIAL LAUNCHING OF THE BLACK EUROPEAN WOMEN’S COUNCIL

Under the leadership of Beatrice Achaleke (Executive Director of AFRA and initiator BEWC) and facilitated by  Brenda King (President of the Section for Employment, Social Affairs and Citizenship of the European Economic and Social Committee), the Black European Women's Council – BEWC was officially  launched in the Framework of the European Year of Intercultural Dialog, on September 9th 2008. The launch took place in the premises of the European Economic and Social Committee in Brussels, in cooperation with the European Commission and in the presence of Commissioner Vladimir Spidla.

Hastings Urges Increased Support for Combating Racism and Discrimination
against Blacks and Other Minorities in Europe

(Washington, D.C.) Today, Congressman Alcee L. Hastings (D-FL), Chairman of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (U.S. Helsinki Commission), introduced a resolution (H.RES.1496 ) calling on the United States government to increase support for public and private sector initiatives focused on combating racism and discrimination against blacks and other minorities in Europe. (Please find attached a copy of the resolution.)

“Black Europeans are a population of more than 7 million. Increasingly, they have become the targets of violent hate crimes, many resulting in death,” said Chairman Hastings. “It is imperative that the U.S. government increase its support for European efforts to combat racism and discrimination.”

The introduction of the resolution coincides with the launch of the Black European Women’s Council (BEWC) and their effort to fight for equality (visit: http://www.bewnet.eu/). In an effort to raise public awareness at the national and international level, BEWC brought together over 130 Black women from across Europe to “insist on the recognition and inclusion of Black Europeans economically, politically, and culturally.”

Read the reaction of US Congressman Alcee L. Hastings,
Chairman of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe
(U.S. Helsinki Commission) to this Milestone in the history of
Black European People. Hastings-Resolution-Europe

Commissionar Spidla about the BEWC

Collection of speches of the official launch of BEWC