Why we celebrate the International Albinism Awareness Day?
On December 18, 2014, the United Nations’ General Assembly adopted a resolution establishing June 13th as International Albinism Awareness Day . This historic resolution confirmed the global focus on albinism advocacy . The National Organization for Albinism and Hypopigmentation (NOAH) joins with the worldwide albinism community in encouraging everyone to celebrate and promote albinism awareness on June 13th each year. The late Ambassador of the Mission of Somalia to the U.N., Geneva, Yusuf Mohamed Ismail Bari-Bari, led the effort to pass the resolution in cooperation with Under the Same Sun, an organization that promotes and protects the rights of people with albinism, particularly in Africa. Shortly thereafter, NOAH participated in a U.N. “side event” to celebrate the adoption of the resolution. The late Excellency Bari-Bari made opening and closing remarks at the event, which included sharing a story with Pope Francis in which he informed the Pontiff of the atrocities committ...