COFrom July 22 to 24, 2026, Cali hosts the fourth continental meeting on Afro-Latin American Studies, organized by the Harvard University Institute for Afro-Latin American Research (ALARI) in partnership with the Center for Afro-Diasporic Studies at the Icesi University (CEAF). The event brings together over 1,600 academics, students, activists, artists, and policymakers from across Latin America and the Caribbean. It features more than 300 panels, 35 roundtables, workshops, and cultural presentations, emphasizing academic research, community dialogue, and policies aimed at achieving ethnic-racial justice. The CEAF highlights the significant Afro-descendant population in the region—over 134 million people, or 21% of the total population—and notes that cities like Cali have high concentrations of Afro-descendants. Despite this demographic presence, structural racism persists in education, employment, land rights, and cultural recognition, prompting the need for inclusive public policies and reparative justice.
Bias read (Center): The article presents a balanced overview of the event’s goals, participants, and significance without overtly favoring any political ideology. While the subject matter—ethnic-racial justice—is politically charged, the framing remains objective, focusing on facts, data, and institutional partnerships
