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28 April 2000
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Preparatory Committee of World
Conference Against Racism
28 April 2000
The process leading to the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance gets formally underway next week as the Preparatory Committee for next year's historic gathering in South Africa meets in Geneva for its first session.
During the week-long meeting, the Preparatory Committee is expected to take key decisions on the agenda, dates, venue in South Africa and rules of procedure for the World Conference. The United Nations General Assembly voted unanimously on 12 December 1997 to hold a World Conference to counter increasing racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related forms of intolerance and ethnic antagonism.
High Commissioner for Human Rights Mary Robinson, Secretary-General of the World Conference, will open the meeting of the Preparatory Committee on Monday, 1 May at the Palais des Nations. The High Commissioner has said that the preparatory process is almost as important as the World Conference itself, as it will see countries and civil society review how they are implementing their commitments to fight discrimination and bigotry. Also scheduled to address the Preparatory Committee on Monday is the Foreign Minister of South Africa N.C. Ndlamini-Zuma.
The General Assembly has emphasized that the World Conference should focus on practical steps to eradicate racism by considering how to ensure that international standards and instruments are applied in efforts to combat it.
For further information on the Preparatory Committee, visit the section on the World Conference in the website of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, www.unhchr.ch.
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Conference Against Racism
28 April 2000
The process leading to the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance gets formally underway next week as the Preparatory Committee for next year's historic gathering in South Africa meets in Geneva for its first session.
During the week-long meeting, the Preparatory Committee is expected to take key decisions on the agenda, dates, venue in South Africa and rules of procedure for the World Conference. The United Nations General Assembly voted unanimously on 12 December 1997 to hold a World Conference to counter increasing racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related forms of intolerance and ethnic antagonism.
High Commissioner for Human Rights Mary Robinson, Secretary-General of the World Conference, will open the meeting of the Preparatory Committee on Monday, 1 May at the Palais des Nations. The High Commissioner has said that the preparatory process is almost as important as the World Conference itself, as it will see countries and civil society review how they are implementing their commitments to fight discrimination and bigotry. Also scheduled to address the Preparatory Committee on Monday is the Foreign Minister of South Africa N.C. Ndlamini-Zuma.
The General Assembly has emphasized that the World Conference should focus on practical steps to eradicate racism by considering how to ensure that international standards and instruments are applied in efforts to combat it.
For further information on the Preparatory Committee, visit the section on the World Conference in the website of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, www.unhchr.ch.
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