21 MARCH
March 21st was declared International Day for the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination by the General Assembly of the United Nations as a reaction to the murder of 69 demonstrators in Sharpeville, South-Africa, in 1960. During the annual European-wide Action Week, which centres around 21 March, thousands of people actively engage themselves for tolerance and equal rights.
This year once again hundreds of activities will take place all around Europe, organised by a wide variety of organisations. Activities range from special TV programs to cleaning the walls of racist slogans.

EQUAL RIGHTS: ACCESS FOR ALL
European societies are based on the ideal of equality for everyone. However, this ideal is often not a reality. Those who do not conform to the norm are being excluded. Migrants and their families are often treated differently when such basic rights as education and health care are concerned. Black and ethnic minorities are rejected for jobs for which they are qualified, only on the basis of their name or their appearance. The most vulnerable groups are the people without any valid papers, without residency papers. The so-called 'sans papiers' or 'illegals' lack the most basic right in Europe: the right to live in peace.
There are several developments in Europe that might have a positive influence. So-called 'regularisations' or 'legalisations' have taken place in several countries (e.g. Portugal, Spain, Greece, France) during which it has been possible to get residency papers for those who already lived in the country for some time without papers. Voting rights for non-citizens have been introduced on a local level in several EU countries. Furthermore the EU has taken steps to make discrimination illegal in all Member States. The Council of Europe has taken this work as a basis for recommendations that have been agreed upon as a result of the conference "All Different, All Equal: From Principles to Practice. European contribution to the UN World Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance".
The European-wide Action Week Against Racism is the perfect occasion for reflection on the problems that exist, discussion on possible solutions and protest against the persistance of racism in our societies.
We call for equal rights: we demand access for all.

CITIZENSHIP
If we want a democratic society, everyone who lives in it should have the right to influence the way it is run. Millions of 'non-citizens' do not have the possibility to elect their representatives. Millions of potential excellent politicians cannot stand for elections because of the passport they carry.
But citizenship is more than the right to vote. It is a positive concept, that implies the co-operation of those living in a society towards a form of community. Citizenship implies duties as well as rights. It implies the duty as well as the right to develop one's personal skills and possibilities to their full potential. It implies the duty to guard the freedom of others as well as your own. Racism interferes with the idea of citizenship. Someone else can only help you guard your freedom and build your community if he is
granted equal rights too.

WHAT DOES THE TERM RACISM MEAN?
Racism is the belief that some people are superior because they belong to a particular 'race'. Racists define a 'race' as a group of people with common ancestry. They distinguish different races from one another by physical characteristics, such as skin colour and hair texture. In fact, there are no clear differences, and especially no significant differences that matter. Recent research shows that 'race' is an imagined entity. 'Race' has no biological basis.
The word 'racism' is used to describe abusive or aggressive behaviour towards members of a so-called 'inferior race'. Racism takes different forms in different countries, according to history, culture and other social factors. A relatively new form of racism sometimes called 'ethnic or cultural differentiation' says that all races or cultures are equal but they should not mix together to keep their originality.
There is no scientific proof of the existence of different races. Biology has only determined one race: the human race.

EQUALITY
Equality is the state of being equal. It means that no person counts more than another, whoever his or her parents are, whatever his or her social position is. Of course, people are not identical to one another in their interests, their abilities and lifestyles, but such differences should not be a reason for denying anyone equal rights. Equality is about having the same rights and the same chances. People must have equal opportunities to succeed in education or work, depending on their own efforts. Equality does not mean that everyone has to be treated the same. If people need extra help to have equal chances to succeed, that special help is justified. Equality will only be a reality when people have the same access to housing, social security, civil rights and citizenship.

WHY COOPERATE IN EUROPEAN CAMPAIGNS?
Think globally, act locally
Racism is not a local issue. Equal rights is an international demand. European campaigns can help set the agenda on all levels. We have to campaign on local, regional and European level to get our point across. By linking local and national actions, we can generate European-wide publicity. We can show that there is an enormous amount of people that believe in an intercultural open society. It gives all participants a new energy to go on with their everyday struggle against racism and intolerance.
You will get motivated and inspired by the ideas and enthusiasm of other people, learn from each others experience and views, generate more publicity because of the scope and size of the activity, mobilise more people as you reach a combined audience, etc.
If you would like to take part in this campaign, keep in mind that it is the variety and creativity of many different simultaneous activities all over Europe that make the UNITED campaigns unique. There is a common date, and every year a theme emerges that gets special attention. We share a slogan, such as 'Equal Rights: Access for All' in 2001, 'See the Person, Not the Colour' in 2000, 'Raise Your Voice Against Racism' in 1999, 'One Race - Human Race' in 1998 or 'Open Borders - Open Minds' in 1995.
So: get organised! Find like-minded groups and start planning now!.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?
All organisations, large and small, can contribute in their own way tot the Action Week. Student organisations and teacher-unions frequently take up the occasion of this week to organise special lessons, campus meetings, petitions, etc. Media may be inclined to work with you to produce special issues, TV-programs and radio shows. Public debates, round tables and conferences provide places for reflection and brainstorming. By organising them during the Action Week you give both the week and the activity more weight and more publicity. Many organisations publish their annual report during the Action Week. Last year thousands of people demonstrated against the laws and attitudes that threaten the building of an open intercultural society. We can take this week to show our anger. Street theatre, removing graffiti and other visible actions can alert the public to the existence of the Action Week.

PLANNING A CAMPAIGN ACTIVITY
Keep in mind:
- to work on the basis of 'equal rights for all'.
- that the aim should always include protection and empowerment of victims of racism.
- that there is no such thing as 'neutrality' and no such thing as non-political action against racism.
- that getting the issue of racism in your school or in your business out in the open is not ruining the atmosphere. If there was racism, it was already messed up.

CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING POINTS:
- What does the campaign aim to achieve? What does your activity aim to achieve?
- What change do you want (short AND long term)?
- Do you really want this activity or would another activity serve just as well?
- Who is the target of the action? Who needs to change, and how?
- What do you need? Who do you need on your side? What partnerships will help you?
- What publicity do you need?
- Try to have a planning group that includes the people most targeted by racism, the people living in the area you work in, the group you want to involve.
- Choose the most appropriate method:
Direct action (non-violent protest actions), political lobbying, public demonstrations / festivals / manifestations, education projects, press action / media.
- Delegate responsibilities.
- Make a time table for the campaign and check it regularly.

HOW UNITED CAN HELP
You can order copies of this poster, up to 100 are for free. If you need more for special purposes, discuss it with the UNITED office. We will produce a special list of activities taking place all around Europe, which can help you to make contacts and exchange speakers with other groups. It will be updated several times and will be published on our website www.united.non-profit.nl.
Call UNITED if you cannot find a partner for your activities. We might know of other NGOs in your country who are planning something.
A media release will be sent out to all important European press agencies, newspapers, etc. If you feel that we should include a specific media contact from your country in our list, let us know. Journalists who want to know about specific activities will be informed about events in their country and are referred to the organisations involved.
UNITED will produce a European report after the Action Week, including as many of the activities that took place as possible. The report is spread throughout Europe to support NGOs in reporting to their sponsors and to inspire action for next year.
We can only do this with your help!!

DO YOU NEED MORE INFORMATION?
UNITED can provide you with a wealth of information. You can order a copy of the European Address Book Against Racism to find similar organisations in other countries, or in your own country. You can phone or e-mail the secretariat to find out who else is organising something. You can check the UNITED website to order the campaign poster, or other campaign material to use in your own way.
A full list of anti-racism magazines can also be found in the European Address Book Against Racism and on the UNITED website.

INTERNET
If you need to find information, internet is a wonderful medium. Good places to start your search for anti-racism news are the following websites:
www.unitedagainstracism.org: UNITED's home in cyberspace
www.magenta.nl/crosspoint: The largest collection of anti-racism links on Internet
www.icare.to: The Internet Centre Anti-Racism Europe

HOW YOU CAN HELP UNITED
Help us make the media release exciting! Announce your activities to us! Send us your announcements, invitations, leaflets and posters before the activities take place.
Help us make the report complete. Make sure your activity is included! Send us reports, newspaper articles, photographs, etc. after the event for the European report.

WHAT IS UNITED?
UNITED for Intercultural Action is the European network against nationalism, racism, fascism and in support of migrants and refugees.
Racism, nationalism, fascism, discrimination, restrictive asylum policies These issues have a European dimension. It is important to fight intolerance on all levels. Linked through UNITED, more than 500 organisations from a wide variety of backgrounds, from all European countries, work together on a voluntary basis. They base their cooperation on common actions and shared activities on a mutual respect. UNITED is and will remain independent from all political parties, organisations and states, but seeks an active co-operation with other anti-racist initiatives in Europe.
Through the UNITED network organisations meet each other, work on common actions and share information. European-wide action weeks, campaigns and such are planned and discussed on UNITED conferences. Like-minded organisations find each other on such conferences and work together on specific projects and on specific topics. The workers in the secretariat are in constant contact with the network organisations, ensuring that information and proposals for action are transmitted rapidly. Information is received from more than 1700 organisations and mailings go out to about 2000 groups in Europe.
If you want to get involved Discuss the ideas and aims of the UNITED network within your organisation. Let us know that your organisation would like to join or receive information. And add us to your mailing list!!

JOIN THE CAMPAIGN!
If your organisations wants to join the campaign, you can order extra posters. Send/fax/e-mail us your planned activities (title, date, theme, place) and the name, address and contact person of your organisation. Maximum 100 posters for free. If you need more for special purposes, contact us.

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UNITED for Intercultural Action
European network against nationalism, racism, fascism
and in support of migrants and refugees
Postbus 413, NL-1000 AK Amsterdam, Netherlands
phone +31-20-6834778, fax +31-20-6834582
info@unitedagainstracism.org, www.unitedagainstracism.org