U.N. Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination

Today, March 21, is the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, while reading this week’s address on race in America offered by Senator Barack Obama again would be an appropriate remembrance for the day, the following message from the Secretary General of the United Nations also embeds the moment in larger preparations for a world conference in 2009 and our individual responsibilities each day.

UNITED NATIONS: THE SECRETARY-GENERAL
MESSAGE ON THE INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR THE ELIMINATION OF RACIAL DISCRIMINATION
New York, 21 March 2008

By proclaiming March 21st as the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, the General Assembly urged action to honour of the memory of the scores of peaceful protestors who were massacred on this day in 1960 in the South African township of Sharpeville as they demonstrated against the racist apartheid “pass laws.”

There has been significant progress since then, not least through the dismantling of the apartheid system. But racism continues to plague too many individuals, communities and societies the world over.

This year, the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination offers an opportunity to address the problem globally as we prepare for the 2009 review of actions taken since the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance adopted its Declaration and Programme of Action in 2001.

Racial discrimination is a concern to all peoples and countries. This review process is an opportunity to engage in an inclusive and transparent manner on an issue that demands our urgent and close attention.

I call on all countries and civil society to make constructive use of the time between now and the formal Review process to work out their differences so that we can seize this opening to boost our collective efforts to stamp out racism. This issue is too important; we cannot fail.

Preparations for the conference will coincide with our observance this year of the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, which starts by affirming the equality of all people and calling for all to “act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.” Not only Governments but also communities and individuals bear solemn responsibility for realizing this goal.

The International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination serves to spotlight our collectively responsibility to end racism. By acting on the ideals of the Universal Declaration, we can uplift not only those suffering from racial discrimination but humanity as a whole.