CAMPAIGN REPORT

Racism: Spot It and Stop It! European-wide Action Week Against Racism 20-28 March 2004

Broadest European-wide anti-racist campaign ever!

Activities in 42 European countries!
The European-wide Action Week Against Racism is Europe's broadest campaign against racism and, through UNITED for Intercultural Action, it brings together thousands of activists, from St. Petersburg to Lisboa and from Athinai to Dublin, to highlight one common European problem: racism. The European-wide Action Week Against Racism can also have a very personal dimension - challenging racism in everybody's own mind, exploring one's own prejudice in order to get rid of it. What do the two perspectives have in common? Putting a spotlight on racism, spotting one's own prejudices as well as the racism that our societies are poisoned with. In almost every big city all over the continent, people, young and old, rich and poor, asked themselves about their position when it comes to racism. UNITED, the pan-European network against racism, makes people spot their own prejudices and helps to stop them through intercultural action that highlights the positive aspects of diversity and equality.

Spread the message!
The fight against racism begins in our own minds. But where does it end? Although some governments still try to deny the existence of the abstract term "racism" in their country, the every-day consequences of that evil phenomenon can be felt by those hit by it: migrants, refugees, minorities etc. National boundaries cannot be considered as boundaries of racism, not even of certain types of it. Europe shares many values, cultural heritage and traditions, but also racism. It is one common problem that requires common action. The "Racism ­ Spot It and Stop It" campaign confronted racism on two levels, from inside our minds, and from a wider, European perspective. The European-wide Action Week Against Racism reached many people all over Europe who presumably never considered themselves as racists. It made them challenge their prejudice and think about the immense opportunities and chances that can be discovered and felt with an open mind and an open heart. We are united by UNITED, together we spot racism, together we stop racism!

Activities from Madrid to Moscow and from Dublin to Sofia
The UNITED European-Wide Action Week is one of the broadest annual anti-racist campaigns, reaching people from the Ural to Gibraltar and from the Balkans to the Atlantic Ocean. By planting "Trees of Tolerance" in numerous Bulgarian cities, 'Interethnic Initiative for Human Rights Foundation' initiated a very symbolic tendency of growing tolerance in our societies. In Germany and Finland, large nationwide campaigns were launched to highlight the Action Week, reaching tens of thousands of people with a huge variety of activities, from anti-racist sport events to an intercultural cross-dressing party. The anti-racist movement in Spain had to go through busy and difficult days as shortly before the Action Week the fatal terrorist attacks against trains in Madrid had taken place and shaken the country. Even though those tragic events absorbed the attention of the public, many Spanish groups took part in the campaign against social exclusion, inequality and racism. All in all, UNITED's co-ordination of the European Week stimulated activities in 4X countries with good media coverage and strong commitment of the activists. 21 March marked the highlight of the campaign. On that day, anti-racists commemorated the murder of 70 peaceful demonstrators in Sharpeville in 1960, who were killed because they had protested against the racist apartheid regime.

UNITED against racism
Linked through UNITED for Intercultural Action, the European network against nationalism, racism, fascism and in support of migrants and refugees, more than 560 organisations from 46 European countries work together, learn and benefit from each other's experience. The organisations base their common actions and joint activities on mutual respect, solidarity and intercultural understanding. They meet each other at European conferences, exchange information and good practices leading to coordinated campaigns with a strong local, national and European impact.

While activities of the Action Week Against Racism were performed independently by the network organisations, the European secretariat of UNITED coordinated the whole campaign, provided NGOs with common campaign materials and ensured a good information flow among organisations, the media and decision-makers. UNITED is an open network inviting everybody who is willing to join the European struggle against racism. It is
independent from all political parties.

If you want to get involved, discuss the ideas and aims of UNITED within your organisation. Let us know that your organisation would like to join the network or to receive information about it. And please add us to your mailing list to keep the information flowing!

INTERNATIONAL: media and sports to combat racism
On the international scale, this year's European-wide Action Week Against Racism served as a platform for campaigns dealing with media and sport ­ and their connection to racism and social exclusion. Two campaigns focused on the image of migrants and minorities in the media which is often characterized by stigmatization, scapegoating and social exclusion. On the occasion of this year's European Day of Media Monitoring, Online/More Colour in the Media together with other NGOs organised a European-wide Campaign on "Media and Minorities - from Exclusion to Active Participation" to promote the dialogue between journalists and minority groups. A slightly changed slogan used by the anti-globalisation movement ("Another world is possible") was taken as a title of a 24-hour live radio programme broadcast by community radios across five continents. "Another Communication is Possible... Community Radio Against Racial Discrimination", organised by Radio Voix sans frontières/Radio Voices Without Frontiers, connected radio stations around the world to broadcast specially produced content to highlight the problem of racism and different strategies to counter it. The EU Monitoring and Advocacy Program in Budapest provided web space for articles from NGOs' involved in the European-wide Action Week Against Racism to address 'good practices' against racism and discrimination and to promote tolerance and social integration and inclusion. Football Against Racism in Europe and the Polish Never Again Association launched a one-year-campaign against racism in Eastern European football stadiums. It is designated to combat racism in and through football and to encourage the development of local football-related anti-racist initiatives.


AUSTRIA: increase of racist incidents
"More than 600 people - twice as many as in the year before - reported racist incidents to ZARA. A shocking number!" says Alexander Pschill, a well-known actor and spokesperson of ZARA - Zivilcourage und Anti-Rassismus Arbeit. During the European-wide Action Week, the NGO presented the 'Racism Report 2003' that compiles more than 200 of the most representative cases of Austrian racism. Also a typical problem of young migrants in Austria can be found in the report: "Ms. B. wants to enter the pub 'Q' together with her friends. She is refused entrance, her 'white' friend can go into the pub without problems. The bouncer asks for a 'club card'. Ms. B. asks why her ('white') friend was not asked for such a card. The bouncer's answer: 'no blacks!'. ZARA initiates legal proceedings over this case." To counter such frightening tendencies, ZARA offers anti-racist training and legal support to victims and witnesses of racist incidents. Under the title 'Against Racism and Police Violence', the Austrian Student Union (ÖH) organised anti-racist workshops, discussions and a nation-wide poster campaign using UNITED campaign material. In Wien and Linz, Verein für Dienste im Ausland produced and broadcast special radio programs in order to make the audience aware of the Action Week Against Racism. In Austria's second largest city Graz, a seminar for teachers about "Interculturalism in Schools" took place during the Week of Action and was organised by 'AusländerInnenbeirat Graz', 'AusländerInnen-beratungsstelle des Landesschulrat für Steiermark' and others.


BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA: fighting racism among us
"Roma are barred by law in Bosnia and Herzegovina from enjoying a number of fundamental political rights. Bosnia and Herzegovina is the only country in Europe in which Roma are ineligible for high political offices, including Presidency. As members of a second class "non-constituent" people, Romani children in Bosnia and Herzegovina today can only aspire in vain to one day becoming president of their country." In its previously released Country Report Series publication "The Non-Constituents: Rights Deprivation of Roma in Post-Genocide Bosnia and Herzegovina", the European Roma Rights Center in Budapest describes the bad situation of Roma in the country. Nevertheless, NGOs in the country are traditionally active in the struggle against injustice and racism. Since 2001, Nansen Dialogue Centre Banjaluka has supported the UNITED European-wide Action Week Against Racism by raising awareness of prejudices and stereotypes and by consequently breaking down the prejudices and discriminatory views. This year, activists and volunteers of NDC Banjaluka and other local NGOs covered the main streets as well as schools and faculties of their town with UNITED campaign material and distributed leaflets to students and passers-by. And their commitment was not for nothing: the activists informed thousands of people on the issues related to the UNITED campaign and also aroused interest in the media. Journalists of Radio Free Europe as well as local newspapers covered the work of NDC Banjaluka on the occasion of the European-wide Action Week Against Racism. Furthermore, Nansen Dialogue Centre Banjaluka organised a discussion forum on the topic "Discrimination Among Us" bringing together 15 interested and competent participants. The participants talked not only about racial discrimination, but also about prejudice on the basis of national, religious and cultural stereotypes. As some participants are refugees and internally displaced persons coming from other parts of Bosnia and Herzegovina, they also talked about their experiences of relations with the population of Banjaluka, the town that became their new home. There was a discussion on how to break down prejudices and stereotypes, which in extreme cases can lead to nationalism and racism. Most of the conclusions were related to direct contacts with the people we have prejudices against, education on stereotypes, xenophobia and discrimination, through round tables, lectures, workshops and discussion forums, where these issues were discussed. On the road towards a more peaceful and intercultural society in Bosnia and Herzegovina, also Nansen Dialogue Centre in Sarajevo joined the journey by taking part in the European-wide Action Week Against Racism. Nansen Dialogue Centre, based in Sarajevo, Mostar and Banjaluka, is committed to initiate dialogue through non-violent conflict resolution and was the first NGO promoting the UNITED campaigns in Bosnia & Herzegovina.


BULGARIA: letting tolerance grow
"Tolerance is not a genetically-determined quality, miraculously present in Bulgarians or in any other ethnic group without them having to put any effort into it", Mark Bossanyi from the Sofia-based NGO Interethnic Initiative for Human Rights Foundation (IEI) explains in an interview with the Bulgarian newspaper Sofia Echo. Thus, this year's campaign in the framework of the UNITED European-wide Action Week Against aimed to raise awareness among people towards racism in everyday life. IEI and its network of partner NGOs comprising minority and other organisations from the whole of Bulgaria undertook various campaign actions to attract the attention of the general public and institutions to racism and discrimination. Events took place in Sofia, Plovdiv, Varna, Kurdzhali, Gotse Delchev, Blagoevgrad and Silistra.
IEI engaged an advertising agency to produce a radio clip which was broadcast by regional radio stations several times per day. The contents of the clip were as follows:
"We live in the twenty first century. Why do we still discriminate against those who are different from us? Why does racism still poison our minds? Biology only recognizes one race: the human race. Racism and discrimination are in us and around us. Spot them and stop them! The European action week against racism." Furthermore, the NGO organised a ritual planting of 21 "tolerance trees" in central locations and squares in various towns and villages, Helium balloons were released in six localities bearing messages of tolerance and action against racism. In Silistra in the North-East of Bulgaria, public transport tickets bore the campaign logo during
the whole week.
Interethnic Initiative for Human Rights Foundation also organised anti-racist school activities, discussions and media work during the Action Week. In the capital Sofia, the Bulgarian Helsinki Committee presented the well-known "Annual Report of Human Rights 2003". According to the report, in 2003 human rights protection in Bulgaria was improved mainly through changes in the legislative and institutional framework. The Act on Protection against Discrimination has been effective from 1 January and is a significant advancement in the sphere of combating discrimination in a number of areas of public life. It sets up an administrative body with powers to investigate and punish discriminatory acts and turns the burden of proof from the victim to the perpetrator.


CYPRUS: bringing people together through music
On 1 May, a very special country joined the European Union during its enlargement process together with nine other countries. Due to the island's de-facto division into a Greek-speaking South and a Turkish-speaking North, NGOs need to be active countering the deep-rooted prejudice and anxiety towards the "others". In its second report on Cyprus, the European Commission Against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) mentions the positive steps that Cyprus has taken to combat racism and xenophobia. Especially the fine-tuning of the criminal legislation against racism and the improved processing of complaints by foreign workers against their employers were regarded as positive. Of serious concern are reports of use of excessive force by the police against migrants who enter or stay in Cyprus illegally and the detention of this category of persons for long periods of time pending deportation. Under the title "It's only a Colour", the Nicosia-based NGO Action for Equality Support & Antiracism (KISA) joined the pan-European UNITED campaign by organising a week of activities emphasizing art and education against racism. The activities started with a photo exhibition called "Faces" that was shown first at one of Nicosia's central squares together with the project "Music against Racism" and an information kiosk. Later, the exhibition was shown at schools and at the university of Nicosia. It featured photographs with migrants' portraits and was accompanied by a saying or a message that each migrant wanted to send to the Cypriot society. Furthermore, KISA together with the Human Rights and Education Network organised a seminar with workshops at the University of Cyprus on "Intercultural Education and Antiracist Culture".


FINLAND: says NO to racism
In 2004, several NGOs made Finland one of the most actively involved countries during the European-wide Action Week Against Racism. Finnish Red Cross, one of the traditionally active NGOs says that racism and discrimination are a serious threat to the integration of immigrants into Finnish society. In a press release to mark the UN Day against Racism, the Red Cross notes that some immigrants are afraid to leave their homes for fear of racist attacks. According to the same study, every second immigrant living in Finland has experienced some kind of racism. Between 300 and 400 racially-motivated crimes are reported to the police each year, but the real number of racist crimes may be much higher, as many victims are either afraid to report the crimes to the police or do not think that it would make any difference.
To highlight the problem of racism and to show ways how to solve it, Finnish Red Cross launched a nation-wide campaign with the title "This is Racism" involving local groups all over the country. The NGO produced special campaign-postcards to be used by 600 local Red Cross branches. In the week before 21 March, Finnish Red Cross organised a media campaign and a poster campaign on Helsinki's public transport trams. The slogan was as simple as provoking: "There is no Racism in Finland". The photo on the poster shows a different picture: a crowded tram with people standing in the corridor due to a lack of seats. Only one seat is empty: the one next to a woman of migrant descent.
In Tampere, RASMUS and Finnish Red Cross' Kotopolku Project organised a week of action in the framework of the UNITED campaign. Under the title "Tampere Says NO to Racism", the NGOs organised a broad scale of anti-racist events with music, a multicultural fashion show, panel discussions and intercultural training for students.
In the capital Helsinki, a large-scale anti-racist music event took place on 21 March. Organised by RASMUS anti-racism network, Finnish Red Cross and others, "Musicians Against Racism" brought well-known hip-hop- and pop-artists in front of an enthusiast audience including the Finnish president Tarja Halonen.
The Central Union for the Welfare of the Aged, taking care of approximately 12000 people of 55 years and older with migrant or ethnic minority background, organised an information-campaign and distributed UNITED campaign material all over Finland.


FRANCE: letters of tolerance
In its annual report, the Paris-based National Consultative Commission of Human Rights (CNCDH) stated an alarming level of racist incidents in 2003. Although the number of attacks and threats declined compared to 2002, racism and antisemitism are still widely spread in French society. 72% of the attacks were directed against French Jews, other victims of racism were predominantly people of northern African origins. CNCDH remarks that the anti-Algerian racism is strongly connected to the recent French colonial history. When asked for a general remark on racism in the society, 88% of the population think that racism is "widely spread" in France, 48% see people of Arab origin as the main victims of racism. For almost two thirds of the population, racism is a problem that has to be fought.
To highlight the problem of racism, this year many French NGOs joined the European-wide Action Week Against Racism. Since many years, la "Ligue Francaise de l'Enseignement et l'Education Permanente" organises the "Semaine d'Education Contre le Racisme", a nation-wide action week of education against racism and intolerance. Under the title "What if we try to be Brothers?" La Ligue provided schools all over France with specially produced postcards on which students could express their opinion on racism and their vision of a society without discrimination. In more than 30 universities and campuses all over France, the 9th Students Festival Against Racism took place and covered topics such as "History of the Struggle Against Racism" or "Racism and Science".
In the city of La Rochelle, in the far west of the French hexagon, the crucial question "Does Secularity Support Education Against Discrimination?" was the topic of a conference organised by Ensemble Contre le Racisme / Ligue F.O.L.
On 21 March, "The International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination" was celebrated also in the UNESCO-headquarters in Paris. Especially interesting for young people: workshops and a concert free of charge. Furthermore, anti-racist education was organised by committed teachers and students in Melun, Bondy and Lectoure.


GEORGIA: spotting the problem of racism
"Racial Discrimination ­ Does Georgia face this Problem?" was the title of a discussion meeting held in the Georgian capital Tbilisi in the framework of the European-wide Action Week Against Racism. The organising NGO, the 'Human Rights Information and Documentation Centre' (HRIDC) invited spokespersons of different non-governmental organisations as well as representatives of minorities to discuss the issues of racism and intolerance. Ucha Nanuashvili, executive director of the HRIDC explained that it is useful to define the term "racism" according to the United Nations Convention and to include discrimination because of ethnic or national origin. The participants agreed that Georgian society and the country's NGOs lack adequate information regarding strategies to deal with the issue. The conclusion of the meeting was that racism does exist in Georgia, that NGOs will have to concentrate on serious research on the field of discrimination and racism and that a lack of knowledge about legal rights is the primary reason why the rights of "black people" in Georgia are frequently violated.
Also in the framework of the UNITED campaign against racism, International Union ERTOBA organised a round table on religious minorities and a training course on the rights of minorities, both held in Tbilisi. The latter was meant to improve the relations between Georgian NGOs working in the field of human rights and to develop future plans.


GERMANY: biggest nationwide campaign ever
On German anti-fascist and anti-racist websites, 21 March was extraordinarily present this year. Besides the date's connection to the UN Day for the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination, it was one man that made the movement discuss: Horst Mahler, former lawyer of the left-wing extremist group RAF, nowadays converted and convicted fascist and denier of the Holocaust. In the Bavarian town of Senden, Mahler was provided a municipal hall to deliver a speech that was full of antisemitism, conspiracy theory and the other usual ingredients of neo-fascist demagogy. But the date of 21 March was also used by a massive anti-racist campaign all over Germany to show a different picture of Germany in 2004: tolerant and intercultural. 'All different ­ all equal' was the name of Germany's broadest nationwide campaign ever organised in the framework of the European-wide Action Week Against Racism. The organising NGO 'Interkultureller Rat in Deutschland' managed to co-ordinate around 250 activities highlighting tolerance, equality and intercultural action. The campaign took place virtually in every corner of the country, from Freiburg in the South- West to Rostock in the North- East, bringing interculturalism and anti-racism straight to the people. More than 100 schools organised their own campaign activities, museums and (movie-) theatres invited students to specially arranged exhibitions and movie screenings on topics related to racism and the struggle against it. In Frankfurt am Main, one of this year's campaign centres, an anti-racist hip-hop concert and a DJ line-up was organised with the title "Rock da Party ­ Discover the Colors under your Skin!" by a group of students, the proceeds of the evening have been partly donated to a refugee camp for children in Liberia. Another feature of this year's campaign in Germany were special lessons in schools with the participation of witnesses who survived the nazi dictatorship. Tolerance, courage and open-mindedness, that seems to be the most important lesson that the witnesses, Jews or former political prisoners, have given the students. During the Action Week, also famous actors and sport stars visited schools to discuss interculturalism, courage and tolerance. Besides the 'All different ­ all equal' campaign, also other NGOs were active during the European-wide Action Week Against Racism. In Oldenburg, 'IBIS - Interkulturelle Arbeitsstelle' celebrated the "Day Against Racism" organising theatre, discussions and an intercultural dinner. In Jena, a conference "Against Police Brutality and Criminalisation" was organised by The Voice/ Refugee Forum / Africa Forum and other NGOs to highlight the problems of racist police practices, the self-isolation of Fortress EUrope and everyday-racism in Germany. In Marburg, Radio Unerhört brought anti-racist information on-air with specially produced programmes.


GREAT BRITAIN: resisting the racist hype
As far as Britain's "yellow press" is concerned, the island's future is severely threatened by the enlargement of the European Union. "1,6 million gypsies ready to flood in" predicted the Daily Express, one of Britain's leading tabloids, in big letters on its front page. Only in small print inside the newspaper, the readers learn more about the hilariously shocking number: 1,6 million is the total estimated number of Roma living in Czechia, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia, four out of ten new EU-member states. The often racially discriminatory media hype around the "Great Invasion 2004", as the media call it, can be compared with the accession of Portugal and Greece in the 1980, where an enormous "influx" of southern Europeans was predicted and in reality was massively overestimated.
During the European-wide Action Week Against Racism, the 'Refugees Asylum Seekers and the Mass Media Project' organised a nationwide campaign "Against Racist Media Reporting on Migrants and Refugees" with a special meeting of exiled journalists.
In Castleton, anti-racist youth work was prepared by the Cultural Equalities Group of the Stockport Youth Service and in Brecon, the NGO Coleg Powys organised the distribution of UNITED campaign material at the local college.
Taking up the theme of the campaign "Racism: Spot it and Stop it!" The Creative Collective organised a training on anti-racist journalism and advocacy in Thornton Heath.
To protest against the Campsfield detention centre and generally against deportations and racist immigration laws, the NGO 'Campaign to Close Campsfield / Barbed Wire Britain' took the occasion of the UNITED campaign to state "Close Campsfield!"
Campsfield House is an Immigration Detention Centre near Oxford. There are 200 detainees in Campsfield House. Most are political refugees fleeing danger, torture and even death from countries such as Nigeria, Algeria and Ghana. They are held without charge, without time limit, without proper reasons given, and without proper access to legal representation.
Amnesty International reports that these are breaches of internationally recognised human rights.


ICELAND: "Where do I belong?"
The Icelandic Ministry of Justice is planning to introduce new legislation and NGOs and human rights groups are protesting against it. The government targets relationships between Icelandic citizens and foreigners under the age of 24 years. Also a whole package of new laws concerning migrants has come under heavy criticism, for example the authorization of immigration authorities to demand DNA samples from people applying for residency in Iceland. But what is it like to be a foreign teenager in Iceland? This and other questions were discussed during a seminar in Reykjavik organised by the Intercultural Centre of Reykjavík in the framework of the European Action Week Against Racism. "Where do I belong?" was the title of the seminar that discussed topics such as bilinguality and cultural differences.


IRELAND: common action all over the island
The Irish Government has recently decided to hold a referendum on the rights to Irish citizenship of children born in the country to foreign nationals. Dublin plans to introduce legislation to restrict the right to citizenship of Irish born children whose parents are non-nationals. Not only migrants and refugees get thus in the focus of racist threats, also activists opposing the "Racist Referendum" get attacked by racists. Ní Chomhraí, active in the movement against the referendum, warned this week that the upcoming referendum and the number of myths surrounding non-nationals could fuel an increase in racist incidents in the coming months. "It is feared that the lead-up to the referendum will see an increase in this sort of abusive behaviour, both towards immigrants and people who stand up for their rights," she said. Nevertheless the European-wide Action Week Against Racism gathered many NGOs and thousands of people to show their opposition against all forms of discrimination and intolerance.
Celebrating the "European Week Against Racism", National Consultative Committee on Racism and Interculturalism together with the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland and "Know Racism Campaign" organised a nation-wide campaign on the topic of full participation of minority ethnic groups in a broader society on the political level, the policy level and the community level. All over the island, NGOs and small action groups joined the NCCRI in their aim to bring interculturalism and tolerance to the people. From the artistic event "Afghan Calligraphy and Painting Exhibition" in Dublin to a movie screening called "Fear Eats the Soul" in Armagh, a whole range of activities was organised to highlight the goal: spotting racism in order to stop it. Besides the nationwide campaign co-ordinated by NCCRI, also other NGOs and educational institutions joined the UNITED campaign: London-based Committee to Defend Asylum Seekers launched its new Dublin section, also in the capital, Youth Action Against Racism and Discrimination presented its "Intercultural Action Plan Competition for Young People". In Tralee, Longford and Dublin, students of the local schools enjoyed anti-racist education and in Dublin, Human Rights Commission of Ireland organised a conference on "Combating Racism and Promoting Equality Through Legislation" presenting ways to fight racism by using existing legal means.


ITALY: first steps towards a more tolerant society
People in the Italian capital Roma went to the polls on 28 March, the last day of this year's European-wide Action Week Against Racism. And it was not a regular election or a referendum, as no Italian citizens were asked to vote but 30,000 immigrants were choosing four representatives on the city council, each one to represent respectively Africa, Asia, Latin America and Eastern Europe. There are more than 100 ethnic groups represented in the Italian capital. Among the 50 candidates were a Romanian law student, a Pakistani businessman and a Ukrainian nurse, reflecting the diversity of Roma's new population. The winners of the elections are allowed to make proposals but have no right to vote and thus no direct power. Anyway for many immigrants this seems to be a first step in the right direction of participation in the affairs of one of Europe's primary countries of immigration.
Another first step towards a future of mutual respect and tolerance was taken by the Institute for the History of Antifascist Resistance (ISTORECO) based in the city of Reggio Emilia. ISTORECO organised a journey for young people to the German concentration camps Buchenwald and Dora/Mittelbau to teach the youth about the fatal consequences of racism and fascism. Later in the programme, the NGO organised lectures, an exhibition and held a party to mark Italy's liberation from fascism in 1945. In Rieti, near by the capital Roma, Associazione Rieti Immigrant-Provincia organised anti-racist youth work with music, interactive games, refugees' testimonies, a film festival, intercultural laboratory and a photo exhibition for young people, migrants and students.


KAZAKHSTAN: essays against racism
In its 2003 report on Kazakhstan, Amnesty International describes a rather bad picture regarding the situation of human rights in the former Soviet republic:
"Kazakstan continued to return refugees forcibly to countries where they were at risk of serious human rights violations. For example, at least five people wanted by the Uzbek authorities on 'religious extremism' charges were forcibly returned to Uzbekistan and at least two of them were reportedly tortured in the basement of the National Security Service in the Uzbek capital, Tashkent."
However, in a wider European context, deporting refugees to insecure countries is not at all specific only for Kazakhstan. NGO Dialogue, a regional organisation in Chimkent, South Kazakhstan, launched a competition of posters and essays in schools on how to combat racism with the active participation of young people.
Dialogue also organised a series of seminars, round-tables and an anti-racist graffiti festival in the city of Chimkent. Children took an active part in discussions and played role games resembling situations happening in life that allowed seminar participants to feel deeply the whole problem of nationalism, and to promote the ideas of ethnic tolerance, mutual respect and peace.


LUXEMBOURG: small country, small problems?
In its report on Luxembourg from July 2003, the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) paints a rather complex picture of the situation in the Grand Duchy. One the one hand, Luxembourg has taken steps to combat racism and intolerance, particularly by introducing criminal sanctions for racist or discriminatory behaviour and by creating a Consultative Commission on Human Rights. It has also set up a wide range of initiatives designed to promote the integration of immigrant children in schools. Luxembourg has made efforts to raise awareness of human rights among members of the police force and teachers. One the other hand, some difficulties remain as regards the implementation of legislation designed to combat racism and discrimination. According to ECRI, the way in which some officials deal with immigrants and asylum seekers is also not always satisfactory. Just before the European-wide Action Week Against Racism started, 'Comité de Liaison et d'Action des Etrangers' launched the "21st Festival of Migration, Cultures and Citizenship", a three-day journey through the world of interculturalism, tolerance and diversity. Talking about interculturalism, Luxembourg is a very interesting working area: although it is a small country with approximately 430.000 inhabitants, 30% of its people can be considered as migrants. In the framework of the UNITED campaign, 'Association de Soutien aux Travailleurs Immigrés' collected signatures for the "Declaration of 21 March" about asylum and migration policy in the context of the forthcoming European elections. In Differdange, 'Jeunesses Socialistes Luxembourgeoises' organised a candle light demonstration under the title "Stop Racism!"


MALTA: racism is not the end of the road
Despite the offical perception in Malta that problems of racism and discrimination are not a major issue on the small Mediterranean island, incidents of discrimination, especially in migrants' access to public places, as well as prejudices and stereotypes within society, suggest that further steps still need to be taken, both to combat concrete manifestations of discrimination and to raise awareness and combat prejudices among the general public. Also this year Maltese NGOs joined the European-wide Action Week Against Racism and in this way contributed to spotting and stopping racism. The Valletta branch of l'Association des Etats Généraux des Etudiants de l'Europe (AEGEE) organised a conference on the integration of immigrants under the title "End of the Road ­ Now What?". Green Youth - Alternattiva Demokratika Zghazagh was busy with a street demonstration called "Malta Against Racism" and organised a poster-campaign displaying UNITED campaign material throughout the Action Week.


NETHERLANDS: bringing interculturalism closer to the people
The Netherlands is one of the European countries that are traditionally active in the European-wide Action Week Against Racism. In the last years something has changed: it is not anymore one big, central demonstration against right-wing extremism and racist violence as it was organised in Amsterdam some years ago, but the movement went back to smaller communities and brought intercultural action against racism to people living outside of the big cities. The activities concentrate on interethnic exchange and present a picture of the intercultural reality existing in the Netherlands with its high percentage of the migrant population.
In some cities like Eindhoven, Purmerend and Groningen, many NGOs jointly organised festivals with the aim of educating the public through intercultural entertainment like music, dance or special, "exotic" food. By using this method, information about differences and commonalities between ethnic groups as well as mutual understanding can be transmitted in a "soft" way.
In Den Haag, 'Bureau Discriminatiezaken ­ Haaglanden' invited to a "Trip Around The World Within Your Hometown". The "travellers" were led to unknown places within the boundaries of their own hometown, for example to a mosque and to Ram Mandir, a Hindu temple.
"In the Streets Without Mercy" was the title of a campaign against the new immigration policy implemented by the Dutch right-wing government. Arranged by 'Amsterdams Solidariteits Komitee Vluchtelingen/SV' and other NGOs, a bus went round different cities and villages picking up migrants that were in danger of being expelled from the Netherlands. Together they went to Den Haag and had a dinner-talk with politicians to show their fear and anger about the inhumane treatment of people searching for a better life in the Netherlands.
In Eindhoven, 'Eindhoven Samen Tegen Racisme', Amnesty International, 'Loket W /Anti-Discriminatie Bureau' and 40 other organisations and institutions organised a week of activities to transform the industrial city of Eindhoven into a "Colourful City 2004". The name of the opening ceremony stood for the vision: "Multicultural, Attractive and Challenging". With an intercultural football tournament and "Musicians Without Borders" presenting dances and world music, the fulfillment of the goal has obviously proceeded one step further. The name of the campaign in Eindhoven also reflects the change the meaning of 21 March has undergone in recent years. The campaign-coordinator explains: "In earlier times the week was called 'Anti-Racism-Festival', we changed the name [into 'Colourful City'] because many people feel that it fits better to their institution or organisation. We want to highlight the positive aspects of a colourful city. By exchanging experiences everybody can learn from each other and your life can only profit from that!".
In Brabant, the southern province of the Netherlands, 'Brabant Bekent Kleur' organised cultural and youth activities with the title "Meet The Future! - Youth and Diversity in Brabant". Besides sports, music and debates, a movie was shown informing about the racist police attacks against peaceful demonstrators in South Africa in 1960.


NORWAY: let's make it a "Racism-Free Zone"!
In January, Norway became the focus of criticism by the European Commission Against Racism and Intolerance of the Council of Europe (ECRI). The need to ensure adequate protection against racist expression remains of special concern to ECRI. Much remains to be done to ensure that foreigners and persons of immigrant background enjoy genuinely equal opportunities in employment and housing. Furthermore, a number of issues concerning the situation of immigrants and asylum-seekers in Norway are raised by ECRI. This year's European-wide Action Week Against Racism was used by the Norwegian People's Aid as an occasion to organise an anti-racism campaign in the framework of the UNITED campaign. The NGO promoted the launch of "Racism-Free Zones" in shops, companies, schools and public places. In those zones, people, students or employees will be treated equally, no matter what nationality or ethnic background they might have.


POLAND: with racism to the EU?
Poland, the largest of the ten new EU-member states, may be a good example that racism exists not only in multiethnic and multicultural societies, as many people claim. As the anti-fascist NGO Never Again Association explains on its website, Polish society is almost homogenous with less than 5% of ethnic minorities. The racists also consider as their enemies and targets of violence people who differ from their "image of true Poles", for example homosexuals, homeless or people with alternative lifestyles such as punks. On the occasion of this year's European-wide Action Week Against Racism, many Polish NGOs joined the struggle against racism and intolerance. Some of the strategies had been developed during the UNITED network conference "Never Again! European Conference Against Racism and Fascism" in Krakow in November 2003.
In Torun, the Students' Scientific Association "Homo Homini" organised an anti-racist action week featuring anti-racist education, competitions and a panel discussion about foreign and handicapped students at the university. A very artistic way to fight racism was chosen by St. Jeden Swiat / One World Association - SCI Poland with their "Different ­ Equal" campaign. Besides workshops, a movie festival and discussions, they organised an exhibition of artistic installations and a presentation of an audiovisual neo-industrial art-project called "Job Karma". The aim of the activities was to increase the consciousness of Polish society, especially young people, regarding the issues of refugees, national minorities and human rights.
Also the 'Polish Humanitarian Organisation' (PAH) was active in the UNITED campaign. In Krakow, PAH co-organised a conference with the title "The Earth - The Peoples' Planet" and nationwide, they prepared anti-racist school lessons using the name of the UNITED campaign, "Racism: Spot it and Stop it!"
Using the sad title "With Racism to the EU!" the Never Again Association launched a nationwide media campaign and presented their updated website. It draws attention to the continuing widespread activity of racist and neonazi groups in the country on the threshold to the EU. Furthermore, Never Again Association and its local branches were active in various other activities all over the country, eg. in Oswiecim they organised an anti-racist educational event. A joint campaign activity in the framework of the European-wide Action Week Against Racism was organised by the Polish Humanitarian Organisation, the Never Again Association, the Anti-Nazi Group (GAN) and other organisations in Wroclaw. For more than one week committed activists turned the city into one big anti-racist venue by providing "Positive Vibes Against Racism" through an anti-racist reggae concert, an info-point about (anti-) racism in the city centre and a conference about "The Roots of Racism".
The Association of Asylum Seekers and Refugees in Poland joined the UNITED campaign against racism in Warszawa. A series of meetings, called "Poetry Encounter" and "Social Meetings" brought together Polish poets, politicians and students with their counterparts of migrant background.


ROMANIA: civic education for teenagers and adults
Beginning in March, the Romanian NGO Save the Children together with the Romanian Education and Research Ministry and UNICEF Romania organizes a series of training courses for teachers that work with Roma children.
The goal of the training is to change the attitude towards Roma children with problems, in order to get to know them better and make them remain enrolled in school. The courses will provide the 300 trainees with information about Romani history and traditions, official regulations pertaining to Roma children's access to education, and multicultural education. Still hundreds of thousands of Roma in Europe live in harsh poverty, have little access to regular school classes and thus often remain illiterate and without any perspective of employment.
On the occasion of the European-wide Action Week Against Racism, several Romanian NGOs joined the struggle against racism and discrimination by using a great variety of manners. The Association "People for Art" from Sibiu organised an exhibition of posters with the theme of anti-racism, produced by more than forty people aged between 10 and 57. They expressed their feelings towards discriminatory attitudes through drawing and computer graphics. The posters were subsequently evaluated by architects, art critics and professional artists. Also a movie screening, a discussion and a workshop entitled "Europe ­ my Home" were included in the programme and were followed by another debate on the issue of and with the participation of refugees.
"What are Human Rights in fact? And how must the main human rights be protected?" Those were the crucial questions to be discussed at the "Human Rights and the European Identity" youth training organized by Human Rights Working Group HRWG of AEGEE Europe and AEGEE ­ Iasi. At the end of this seminar the organisers were pleased to see that the notions "Human Rights" and "discrimination" were not anymore abstract to the 25 participants from ten European countries.
Also the National Council for Combating Discrimination took part in the European-wide Action Week Against Racism by preparing an anti-discrimination campaign in high schools in the cities of Bucuresti and Campulung. The activists presented different aspects of discrimination to the children and began an interactive discussion about ways how to combat racism. UNITED campaign material was also displayed on the walls of the schools. In Craiova, the History Students Association organised a poster campaign using UNITED campaign material to make the public aware of the Action Week and in addition organised an anti-racist concert with the punk band Critica Radicala. In Sfantu-Gheorghe and Miercurea Ciuc, a group of students organised extracurricular activities in their schools and in their cities. They arranged debates, competitions and exhibitions, cultural as well as sport events to emphasize the importance of combating racism and respecting human rights and to promote interethnic tolerance. The students were strongly supported by the Csiki Foundation that is constantly organizing training sessions
and workshops for students of Romanian High-schools on civic education issues.


RUSSIA: countering the climate of racism
Reports of attacks against foreigners in Russia have increased in recent months, raising concerns about a rise in aggressive nationalism, not forgetting the continuing brutal military operation in Chechnya. But the author of a recent survey conducted at the St. Petersburg University says the results of the new research actually indicate an overall decrease in extremist views among Russia's young people. Behind the brutal and often fatal attacks against migrants and "Caucasians", the author sees the violent tactics of an increasingly isolated racist minority, which has found it impossible to adjust to new economic realities. But especially in the weeks around 21 March, a new wave of racist violence shocked Russia as an Afghan man was beaten into a coma by a group of skinheads. The problem of racism in Russia was the topic of a round-table discussion organised by Humanitarian Organisation ­ Icumbi in St. Petersburg. In Moskva, a conference dedicated to "Action Against the Rise of Racism in Russia" was arranged by the Center for Interethnic Cooperation to find ways to counter the climate of racial tension that has dominated the news in Russia recently. During the conference, an intercultural party was organised with the participation of activists from various NGOs and representatives of more than twenty different ethnic communities celebrating together in peace and mutual respect. In Vladimir, the Youth Human Rights Movement handed in 50 issues of "Anthology of Nonviolence", a set of texts about non-violent solution of conflicts, to a local library. In Nizhny Novgorod and Krasnodar, anti-racist education was organised for pupils from the age of 5 years.


SPAIN: no to terrorism ­ no to racism
Only a few days after the fatal attacks against commuter trains in Madrid, where more than 200 people died and thousands got wounded, NGOs all over Spain took the occasion of the European-wide Action Week Against Racism to state: no more terrorism, no more racism. Also the situation of migrants is highly problematic as foreigners living in Spain had their rights and liberties damaged by law changes brought in by the recently overthrown right-wing government, SOS Racism claimed in its Annual Report presented during the Action Week. The law change was designed to stop illegal immigration, but the NGO claims it has forced many legal immigrants to 'hide' from the system for fear of being deported. They had no other route to become legal citizens and had been deprived of their rights. Two basic changes have allowed police access to city council housing records and allowed them to carry out checks on transport companies in an effort to stop illegal immigrants being brought into Spain. SOS Racism called on the newly elected government to allow foreigners to make their situation legal without having to return to their own countries to obtain visas.
In Zaragoza, a major demonstration was organised by Citizens' Initiative CONVIVE in cooperation with a broad coalition of other NGOs that made clear their opposition against any form of discrimination and terrorism as well as their solidarity with minorities and migrants. In the framework of the UNITED campaign, Movimiento Contra la Intolerancia (MCI) organised a series of events in different parts of Spain. In Madrid, Málaga, Sevilla, Valencia and Zaragoza, "School Against Racism" brought anti-racist education to young students. In Madrid, MCI organised a "Radio Marathon" on the occasion of the European-wide Action Week Against Racism during which reports, news, tales and poems of migrants, refugees, Roma and people of other minorities were broadcast.


SWITZERLAND: countering racism and xenophobia
After the electoral success of the right-wing Swiss People's Party in October 2003 and it's leader Christoph Blocher's nomination as minister of justice, NGOs in Switzerland used the occasion of the European-wide Action Week Against Racism to inform about the growing tendency of racism and xenophobia in the country. As these phenomena are pushed by the newly strongest political movement in Switzerland, Association contre le Racisme/SOS Racisme Suisse and Ras l'front organised a debate with the title "For a Future Without Racism and Fascism" and asked the crucial question "Blocher = Le Pen?" According to the NGOs' statement, the Swiss People's Party and its head Blocher gained their votes thanks to a massive campaign against migrants and asylum seekers and has therefore to be compared to a number of other far-right parties in Europe, most notably Jean-Marie Le Pen's Front National in France. The debate took place in Lausanne, close to the French border, a region where the right-wing Swiss People's Party won many votes. In Neuchâtel and surrounding communities, Forum Tous Différents Tous Egaux used the slogan "Non-Violence As A Tool Against Racism" to organise concerts, movies and discussions in order to promote interculturalism and anti-racist education. Against police controls on the basis of skin colour, police brutality and institutional racism, Carrefour de Réflexion et d'Action contre le Racisme anti-Noir organised a demonstration in the streets of the Swiss capital Bern to promote tolerance and intercultural understanding. Furthermore, the Permanent Mission of South Africa to the UN Office at Geneve organised a commemoration and an exhibition marking the tenth anniversary of the abolition of the racist apartheid regime.


OTHER COUNTRIES: a broad variety of actions
When it comes to discrimination and anti-Roma racism in the newly enlarged EU, observers in Western Europe often think of the former multi-ethnic Czechoslovakia. Earlier this year, Slovakia witnessed an uprising of Roma living in the poor eastern part of the country. The Roma protested against the government's social reforms that resulted in minimized unemployment benefits. The Roma minority is the group that is hardest hit by reforms that cut subsidies as a very high percentage of its members don't have jobs. Is it racism or just the consequence of a European-wide tendency of neo-liberal social reforms? In both Czechia and Slovakia, NGOs were active during the European-wide Action Week Against Racism highlighting ways towards a tolerant and peaceful society.
In Czechia, DUHA - Rainbow Association organised an intercultural Dancing Evening in the capital Praha. The Slovak NGO People Against Racism was busy raising the public awareness through media campaigning and workshops all over the country.
In Athinai (GR), a seminar about "Multiculturality Achievements" was organised by the Greek branch of the European Network of Women and was addressed to educators on racism and xenophobia. Traditionally, Greek Helsinki Monitor / Minority Rights Group published a press release on the occasion of 21 March and in the capital Athinai, Service Civil International ­ Hellas arranged a workshop on "Intercultural Education".
In order to prevent conflicts based on ignorance and mutual prejudice arising between the police and the young immigrants, the NGOs Undervaerket, SOS mod Racisme and others organised a debate in the city of Randers (DK) to find strategies on intercultural conflicts. In Odense, also in Denmark, Ungdomshuset / Korsløkke Ungdomsskule organised "Sport and Culture Against Racism", a day full of music, art and sport activities to highlight anti-racist education. In Ptuj (Slovenia), the Dutch media project Loesje held its International Boardmeeting during the Action Week to debate about European integration, racism, creativity and intercultural learning. In Uzbekistan, the International Museum of Peace and Solidarity organised an exhibition of UNITED campaign material in the framework of the "Racism: Spot it and Stop it!'-campaign.
In Silifke (Turkey), Arkadas - Independent News organised a conference about anti-racism and anti-nationalism and launched a nation-wide media campaign to highlight the UNITED campaign.
The Human Rights Center in Zagreb (Croatia) marked the International Day of Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination by organising an expert round table discussion titled "How to Combat Hate Speech and Racist Violence". It was concluded that hate speech is a legal, political, social and moral problem. Prevention and human rights education must play a key role in combating hate speech.
In Moldova, Youth Helsinki Citizens' Assembly (YHCA), the Society for the Protection of African Children in Moldova 'Fatima' and the Romani youth organisation 'Tarna' initiated a media campaign and translated the UNITED press release into the two local languages, Romanian and Russian. The NGOs also organised a round table discussion that covered especially recent manifestations of racist violence in the country's capital Chisinau. Furthermore, YHCA presented the new edition of
its magazine 'The Collage' covering the topic of Roma in Central and Eastern Europe.
NGOs were also active in Albania, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Belarus, Hungary, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Macedonia, Serbia & Montenegro, Sweden and Uzbekistan. In total NGOs from 42 countries made this years UNITED campaign against racism to one of the broadest and and most successful campaigns ever.


See the complete List of Activities!


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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