Past Observances
2015 Theme: "Learning from historical tragedies to combat racial discrimination today"
Mourners at a funeral ceremony in Cape Province for those who were killed by the South African police at Langa Township in Uitenhage (1985). UN Photo
This Year 2015, and as requested by the General Assembly, Presidents of the General Assembly and of the Human Rights Council convened meetings both in New York and Geneva during the commemoration of the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination through a debate on the state of racial discrimination worldwide.
This year's theme “Learning from historical tragedies to combat racial discrimination today” aimed to explore the root causes of racism and racial discrimination and stressed the essential need to learn the lessons history has provided in order to combat racism and racial discrimination today.
Messages
Events
In Geneva, a panel event and a movie screening took place at the Palais des Nations on 20 March 2015.
Panellists spoke at the Human Rights Council about the importance of preserving the historical memory of past human rights tragedies, including slavery, the slave trade, transatlantic slave trade, apartheid, colonialism and genocide which have led to racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance. They explored the need of elaborating educational and awareness raising materials with a view to contribute to eradicating contemporary forms of racism and racial discrimination.
For the screening of the movie on racism, young people from secondary schools were invited to participate in the event and to hold an exchange of views about situations of day to day racism.
In New York, the same day, a panel event took place at the United Nations Headquarters, with the participation of academics, including historians and experts from the civil society, active in the field of racism and racial discrimination.
2014 Theme: "The Role of Leaders in Combatting Racism and Racial Discrimination"
The theme for the 2014 event was "The Role of Leaders in Combatting Racism and Racial Discrimination", highlighting the key role that leaders play in mobilising political will to combat racism and racial discrimination.
The Durban Declaration and Programme of Action adopted at the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance on 8 September 2001, underlines the key role that political leaders and political parties can and ought to play in combating racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance.
At the World Conference and subsequent Review Conference, States also recognized that promoting greater respect and trust among different groups within society must be a shared but differentiated responsibility of government institutions, political leaders, grassroots organizations and citizens.
Messages for 2014
- Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
- High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay
- President of the 68th General Assembly, H. E. Dr. John W. Ashe
- UNESCO Director-General, Irina Bokova
2013 Theme: "Racism and Sports"
Racism in sport, both by fans and competitors is an on going concern of the UN Human Rights Office. In September 2012, the Human Rights Council noted that, “Despite the immense potential of sport in promoting tolerance, racism in sport is still a serious problem.”
Referencing the Olympic spirit requiring “human understanding, tolerance, fair play and solidarity, the Council urged an intensified “fight against racism in sport.”
Messages for 2013
- Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
- High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay
- UNESCO Director-General, Irina Bokova
2012 Theme: "Racism and Conflict"
Racial or ethnic discrimination has been used to instill fear or hatred of others, often leading to conflict and war, as in the case of the Rwanda genocide in 1994. © UN Photo/John Isaac.
The theme for the 2012 event was "Racism and Conflict," highlighting the fact that racism and discrimination often are at the root of deadly conflict.
The theme was chosen to capture the often ignored yet mutually reinforcing relationship between racism and conflict. In many parts of the world, racism, prejudice and xenophobia create extreme tension and are used as powerful weapons to engender fear or hatred in times of conflict. Prejudice and xenophobia can even lead to genocide, crimes against humanity, ethnic cleansing and war crimes.
This theme aimed to raise awareness of these issues and to recall the plight of the victims who suffered or continue to suffer as a result of racism-related conflicts.
The first article of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights affirms that "all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights." The International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination reminds us of our collective responsibility for promoting and protecting this ideal.