NEW YORK, NY (WKBW) — “We have a contribution to make. There’s still time left on the clock. We can still get a win,” said Raymond Whitfield, the son of Ruth Whitfield in front of a packed house of International Leaders Friday in New York City.
Whitfield was a speaker at the UN hosted forum, to mark the 74th anniversary of the genocide convention, the first human rights treaty adopted by the United Nations.
“This group was formed so that never again would a person face the horror of genocide,” said Csaba Kőrösi, President of the United Nations General Assembly.
Whitfield, appearing in front of a packed house sharing his mother’s story from May 14.
“In the hands of a misguided isolated individual turned white supremacist who decided my loved one, and by extension me and everyone who remotely looks like me does not belong here. Worst, we don’t even deserve the right to exist,” he said.
The forum also focused on the role sports can plat in prevention of such atrocities, launching the action plan to counter hate speech through engagement with sports.
Representatives from Pegula Sports and Entertainment talked about the community support through the Choose Love initiative.
“Our fanbases raised more than a million dollars through the Buffalo Community Response Fund and the Buffalo 5/14 Survivors Fund,” said Christie Joseph, Senior Vice President, People and Business Administration, Pegula Sports and Entertainment.
“Sport has the power to unite and inspire. We hope to inspire our fans to eradicate hate, and choose love,” she said.
