The Head of Public Service Felix Koskei has asked all citizens to join festivities to mark the International Minorities Rights Day on December 18, 2023.
Koskei said celebrating the day will be a testament to Kenya’s dedication to creating a nation that embraces and celebrates the rich but distinct cultures and identities of all its citizens.
“This is an annual event that serves as a platform to demonstrate national and international solidarity in the quest for minority rights,” he said.
In a statement, Koskei noted that Kenya is celebrating the day for the first time since it was declared in 1992.
“On this day, Kenya will be joining other nations across the globe to mark the commitments countries have made to promote the principles of diversity, equality and inclusion not only as mechanisms for national unity but also as a means of broad-based global acceptance and solidarity,” he stated.
He announced that national celebrations will be commemorated at the Bomas of Kenya, Nairobi.
He said participants will be drawn from various communities in the country in line with the definitions in Article 260 of the Constitution.
Koskei added that communities will have a chance to celebrate the richness of their cultures and heritage through song, dance and display of cultural artifacts.
“It is instructive to note that due to their dedication to cultural preservation, these communities have been pivotal in promoting tourism, environmental conservation, balanced human-wildlife cohabitation and traditional medicines and health,” he stated.
On 18 December 1992, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the UN Declaration of the Rights of Persons belonging to national or ethnic, religious, and linguistic minorities to protect and promote minority rights.
The day continues to be the most important UN instrument devoted to minority rights because it provides guidance and key standards ranging from non-discrimination to the effective participation of minorities in decision-making in all areas of everyday life.
