The International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
By Reinaldo Velandia
To commemorate and honour the memory of a group of student killed on 21 March 1960 during a demonstration against the racist apartheid “pass laws” in the South African township of Sharpeville, the UN General Assembly, in 1966, proclaimed 21 March the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. To be observed annually, the Day serves not only to remind the international community of the terrible consequences of racism but also to recall our obligation to strongly combat any kind of racial discrimination.
In his message on this year’s observance, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon mentioned that significant progress had been made in the fight against racism, yet it continued to affect too many individuals, communities and societies worldwide. He called on all countries and civil society globally to engage in an inclusive and transparent manner on an issue that demands urgent and close attention. He said that “racial discrimination is a matter that concerns all peoples and countries”, and to eliminate racism, a collective effort was necessary.
The commemoration of the International Day in 2008 offered an opportunity to address the problem of racial discrimination as we prepare for the 2009 review of actions taken since the adoption in 2001 of the Declaration and Programme of Action of the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance, Mr. Ban said. Besides, preparations for the conference will coincide with the commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights.
On 10 December 2007, the Secretary-General launched a year-long campaign in which all of the UN organizations committed themselves throughout 2008 to guiding the path towards the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration. The campaign, “Dignity and justice for all of us”, focuses on giving people around the world the opportunity to learn about their human rights. “It is our duty to ensure that these rights are a living reality—that they are known, understood and enjoyed by everyone, everywhere. It is often those who most need their human rights protected, who also need to be informed that the Declaration exists, and that it exists for them”, said Mr. Ban at the launching of the campaign. He concluded his message by stressing the importance of our collective responsibility to end racism, and reminding people around the world that by acting in accordance with the principles of the Universal Declaration, it is possible to encourage not only those suffering from racial discrimination but also humanity as a whole.
