Francisca Van Dunem among the most influential Afro-descendants in the world

The Global List of Most Influential Afrodescendants of 2021 (MIPAD) follows the "International Decade of People of African Descent", proclaimed by resolution 68/237 of the United Nations General Assembly (UN), which takes place in 2015 and 2024.

During this period, lists of people with more influence in various public or private sectors, ranging from culture to politics, are published annually.

The Minister of Justice of Portugal, Francisca Van Dunem, was selected for the honorable category of "Life Achievement" in the Justice sector. Barack Obama was also elected in this category, but in the Development sector.

The list also includes other names from the Portuguese-speaking world in various areas, such as the Brazilian Erika Hilton and the Angolan Fernanda Renée Samuel, in Politicos e Governantes (under 40); Christiane Silva Pinto (Brazil) in Business and Entrepreneurship; Ad Júnior (Brazil), Cláudia Alves (Brazil), Dino D'Santiago (Portugal) and Gil Nogueira (Brazil) in Media and Culture; Edu Lira (Brazil), Mário Lopes (São Tomé and Príncipe), Matheus Steita (Angola) and Viviane Ferreira (Brazil) in the Humanitarian and Religious Activism sector; the couple Lazaro Ramos and Tais Araujo (Brazil) in TV and movies; Margareth Menezes (Brazil) in Music and Luciana Barreto (Brazil) in Media.

Dino D'Santiago told Lusa agency that "being among the 100 most influential Afro-descendants in the world, in a list that has names that inspire me in this journey is in itself something that I keep with a deep pride and celebrate with mine!" .

This "MIPAD distinction, naturally for being a platform with a very strong Network among the African diaspora around the world, ends up strengthening possible future contacts", trusting that "the management structure, publisher and agency will know how to make the best bridges" , added the singer.

São Toméan activist Mário Lopes reacted to the election on his Facebook page: "I came from -0, whoever follows my journey will know the details, until his name is registered in an initiative supported by the United Nations, and in the same edition in which there is Barack Obama, and people I admire and closely follow his activism and professionalism like Matheus Steita and Fernanda Renée make everything immensely special," he wrote.

Matheus Steita also reacted on his Facebook page saying that "no one wins in life just for being talented or intelligent", and that the union between people is needed.

CNN journalist Luciana Barreto said on her 'Facebook' page that she is honored with the award.

There was also space for honorable mentions from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to Emerson Caetano, Livia Dimas and Clara Marinho Pereira.

According to MIPAD "100 people are chosen from 80 countries on the basis of their political influence, business acumen, social media monitoring or their humanitarian effort" that contribute to significant advances in the world.