Fallacies of racism exposed: UNESCO publishes Declaration by world's scientists

More than fifteen years ago, men and women of goodwill proposed to publish an international declaration which would expose "racial" discrimination and "racial" hatred as unscientific and false, as well as ugly and inhuman. The world at that time was running downhill toward World War II, and so-called "practical" considerations prevented publication of the statement-even if they could not prevent the war.

False myths and superstitions about race contributed directly to the war, and to the murder of peoples which became known as genocide- but victims of the war were of all colours and of all "races".

Despite the universality of this agony and destruction, the myths and superstitions still survive-and still threaten the whole of mankind. The need for a sound unchallengeable statement of the facts, to counter this continuing threat, is a matter of urgency. Accordingly, UNESCO has called together a group of the world's most noted scientists, in the fields of biology, genetics, psychology, sociology and anthropology.

These scientists have prepared a historic declaration of the known facts about human race, which is reprinted in this issue of the Courier. Unesco offers this declaration as a weapon-and a practical weapon-to all men and women of goodwill who are engaged in the good fight for human brotherhood. 

Read the articles on racism

• Fallacies of racism exposed: UNESCO publishes Declaration by world's scientists
• What is not good for humanity as a whole cannot be good for any nation, race or individual
• The Scientific basis for human unity: UNESCO publishes Declaration by world's scientists
• Race and civilization

Discover other issues and articles on Racism in the UNESCO Courier.