IN August 2000, the High Commissioner for Human Rights initiated the Visionary Declaration, titled “Tolerance and Diversity: A Vision for the 21st Century.” Nelson Mandela was the declaration’s patron. The document was intended to promote a forward looking approach toward the United Nations World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance, which was held in South Africa during September 2001.
At that time it was pointed out that since the adoption in 1948 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the international community has made some important advances in the fight against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance. Yet, the dream of a world free of racial hatred and bias remains only half fulfilled. As technology brings the peoples of the world closer together and political barriers tumble, racial discrimination, xenophobia and other forms of intolerance continue to ravage our societies. Check out the proceedings of the 2001 Conference, including the full final version of the Conference outcome document through http://un.org/WCAR/.
Eight years later, plans are being made for The Durban Review Conference, to be held in Geneva, Switzerland in April. The Review Conference will evaluate progress toward the goals set by original UN conference in 2001. The UN hopes that the Review Conference will serve as a catalyst to fulfilling the promises of the Durban Declaration and Program of Action agreed at the 2001 World Conference through reinvigorated actions, initiatives and practical solutions, illuminating the way toward equality for every individual and group in all regions and countries of the world.
But distortions already plague the anti-racism conference. In December, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) felt forced to set the record straight concerning the Review Conference. In an article sent to the Wall Street Journal, The Australian and Forbes.com by the OHCHR, it was emphasized that the Review Conference is not an anti-Semitic “hate-fest.” The article noted that the Review Conference will focus on the 2001 outcome document, known as the Durban Declaration and Plan of Action (DDPA), which consists of 341 paragraphs, of which six refer to the Middle East, anti-Semitism and directly related issues.
According to the OHCHR article: “The first of those says: ‘We recall that the Holocaust must never be forgotten.’ The second says, ‘We recognize with deep concern the increase in anti-Semitism and Islamophobia in various parts of the world, as well as the emergence of racial and violent movements based on racism and discriminatory ideas against Jewish, Muslim and Arab communities.’ The remaining four paragraphs include references to ‘the plight of the Palestinian people’ and ‘the right to security for all States in the region, including Israel,’ as well as calling upon ‘Israel and the Palestinians to resume the peace process, and to develop and prosper in security and freedom.’” Read the OHCHR article in full at www.un.org/durbanreview2009/pr-12-12-08.shtml.
Given that the OHCHR has pointed out that distorted information about the anti-racism review conference is now being repeated on a regular basis in major newspapers, which operate under journalistic codes of ethical conduct, and on the Internet, it may be advisable to learn about the Review Conference directly through official releases from the UN at www.un.org/durbanreview2009/index.shtml.
