| |
 |
 |
|
|
|
| UNESCO reaffirms its commitment to fight racism at the Durban Review Conference, Geneva, 20-24 April 2009 |
| |
| The United Nations will be holding the Durban Review Conference in Geneva, Switzerland, from 20 to 24 April 2009. The main purpose is to evaluate the progress made so far in achieving the goals set by the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance in Durban, South Africa, in 2001. |
|
 Organized by the United Nations, with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) serving as the Secretariat, the Review Conference will act as a catalyst in fulfilling the promises of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action agreed at the 2001 World Conference. Participants are expected to push forward initiatives and practical solutions to pave the way toward equality and justice everywhere around the world. They will review the progress and assess the implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action (DDPA).
UNESCO has attached great importance to the whole process from the beginning, since the Durban Conference in 2001. It has participated actively in discussion groups leading to numerous amendments to the final declaration draft, with the aim to include its vision and action, especially those related to the International Coalition of Cities against Racism and Discrimination, the Dialogue among Civilizations and Culture of Peace.
In addition to the UN Member States, UNESCO will be participating in the Review Conference together with several other UN Agencies, IGOs and NGOs.
The 2001 World Conference, held in Durban, South Africa, was a landmark event in the struggle to improve the lives of millions of human beings around the world who are victims of racial discrimination and intolerance. The Conference adopted by consensus the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action (DDPA), which provided an important new framework for guiding governments, non-governmental organizations and other institutions in their efforts to combat racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance.
At a time when the world is experiencing unprecedented financial crises which could lead to more injustice and discrimination in many countries, it should be a high priority for every country, institution and civil society to exert its efforts for the success of the Geneva Review Conference.
See alsoOther events relating to UNESCO’s Social and Human Sciences programme in April 2009:- 30 March-1 April: Seminar on Ethics Teaching: Putting Basic Bioethics Curriculum into Practice. Santa Fe, Argentina.
- 2 April: Meeting of the COMEST Members on Nanotechnology. Brussels, Belgium.
- 4 April: UNESCO Breakfast Run. Paris, France.
- 6-8 April: Assisting Bioethics Committees (ABC) Training Session on Working Methods. Conakry, Guinea.
- 14 April: Round Table on “Human Rights and memory”. Paris, France.
- 16 April: 2nd Sub-regional Experts’ Meeting on Human Rights within UNESCO’s Competence. Moscow, Russian Federation.
- 26-29 April: 10th Asian Bioethics Conference. Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran.
- 26-29 April: 4th UNESCO Round Table of the Asia-Pacific School of Ethics. Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran.
For more detailed information: www.unesco.org/shs/agenda.
Just publishedThis e-News is also available in the following languages: Français | Español | العربية
Photo: Apartheid in South Africa © UN Photo |
|
| Author(s) |
UNESCO - Sector for Social and Human Sciences |
| Publication Date |
09-04-2009 |
| Source |
SHS e-News 37 / April 2009 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Email this page  Printable version
|
|
|
|
