World Conference against Racism
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The World Conference against Racism (WCAR) are international events organized by the UNESCO in order to struggle against racism ideologies and behaviours. Three conferences have been held so far, in 1978, 1983 and 2001. The next conference is planned for 2009.[1] Founded after World War II and the Holocaust as a dependent body of the United Nations, the UNESCO started as soon as its creation to promote scientific studies concerning ethnic groups and their diffusion in the public opinion in order to dispel pseudo-scientific rationalizations of racism. One of its first published work was The Race Question in 1950, signed by various internationally renowned scholars.
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[edit] 1978 conference
| International opposition to Apartheid in South Africa |
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| Campaigns |
| Instruments and legislation |
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UN Resolution 1761 (1962) |
| Organisations |
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Anti-Apartheid Movement |
| Conferences |
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1964 Conference for Economic Sanctions |
| United Nations Security Council Resolutions |
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Resolution 181 |
| Other aspects |
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Elimination of Racism Day |
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Please help improve this section by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion. |
The 1978 World Conference against Racism was held in Geneva, Switzerland. A major focus on the conference was South Africa's apartheid policies of racial segregation and discrimination.
[edit] 1983 conference
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Please help improve this section by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion. |
The 1983 World Conference against Racism was also held in Geneva, Switzerland
[edit] 2001 conference
The 2001 conference was held in Durban, South Africa, under UN auspices, from 31 August until 8 September 2001. Former Irish president Mary Robinson, then the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, presided as Secretary-General.
Entitled "World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance," the conference was discussing unfair treatment of one group against another. Much of the deliberations focused specifically on Israeli treatment of Palestinians, culminating in a call by some countries to reestablish the controversial UNGA 3379 resolution from 1975 equating Zionism with racism.[1][2] . Both Australia and Canada made statements accusing the conference of hypocrisy.
Both the United States and Israel pulled their delegations from the WCAR. The final text drops all direct criticism of Israel, but does recognise the Palestinians' right to self-determination and expresses concern at their plight 'under foreign occupation'.
Also in the conference, African countries - led by Nigeria and Zimbabwe - and African-American NGO's wanted individual apologies from each of the countries responsible for slavery, recognition of it as a crime against humanity and reparations called as such. The Europeans pulled together behind the UK and the best the Africans could get was a call for support for the New African Initiative, debt relief, funds to combat AIDS, the recovery of stolen government funds transferred to the West by former dictators and their cohorts, and an end to the trafficking in people. But the word 'reparations' did not survive. [3]
[edit] 2009 conference
The 2009 World Conference Against Racism will once again be held in Durban, South Africa. Criticism of the Conference has already started due in large part to countries such as Iran and Libya being named to the Conference planning committee. Canada has announced that it will not participate in the Conference because it believes the Conference will actually promote racism and intolerance. Israel followed Canada's lead by announcing it will not participate in the conference unless it is proven that the conference will not be used as a platform for further anti-Israeli and anti-Semitic behavior. [2] [3][4]
[edit] See also
- The Race Question, UNESCO statement, 1950
