Printer-friendly version

In 2010 numerous organisations in 47 European Countries joined the annual European-wide Action Week Against Racism. Thousands of people all over Europe were united in their fight for a Europe without discrimination, intolerance, racism and nationalism - promoting diversity, mutual respect and understanding.
This year again UNITED calls for international participation during the European-wide Action Week Against Racism (14-27 March 2011)!

Become active in this years' campaign
Don't worry, good activities don't have to be expensive. Much more important than money are creativity and engagement. You do not necessarily have to organise a big demonstration or event, awareness about the emerging issues of racism and discrimination is already created when you spread/hang the UNITED campaign material in universities, schools, your working place or in the streets.
To get some inspiration have a look at the 2010 List of Activities

Give the campaign a European dimension
Inform us about your actions to highlight the issue of racism on European level. Your activities will be published through the European List of Activities that creates visibility and attention all over Europe. In this way you also contribute to create a strong and diverse European-wide campaign.
Don't forget: Nobody can do everything, but everyone can do something!

Order campaign material for free
UNITED can send up to 2 kilos campaign material free of charge (only in Europe), please calculate how many copies you want. For more than 2 kilos we ask for contribution towards the mailing costs but if you need more free material for special purposes don't hesitate to contact us.
You can find the order form at the end of this email.

*** 21 MARCH ***
This is the International Day for the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination, established by the General Assembly of the United Nations in 1966 following the brutal murder of 69 protestors in the South African township of Sharpeville in 1960. The massacre occurred while they had gathered to protest against the apartheid laws of the South African government, a regime systematically enforcing racial inequality and segregation. Today racist murders and violence are still commonplace and racial discrimination continues to creep into every corner of our societies.

Every year around 21 March, the UNITED Network coordinates the European-wide Action Week Against Racism and calls upon the international community to erase racism, discrimination and intolerance. We urge NGOs, independent and informal groups, schools, local councils and all manner of organisations and individuals to join forces and confront racism with direct action. Whether by organising activities, supporting others or spreading the message, we can tackle racism. Prejudice lives in all of us and so we all have a part to play in erasing it from our environment.

*** United we stand - divided we fall ***
To eliminate individual, societal and institutional racism and the injustice they cause, each of us needs to reflect on our attitudes and behaviour, be conscious to the prejudices we carry with us, understand how we learned these and find ways of unlearning them.

When trying to make sense of poverty, deprivation and lack of opportunity, we are urged by the media and by politicians to divide into smaller groups and point the finger at each other, which has developed a culture of blame. This not only deflects from the realities of economic policies and big business practices that drive inequality deep into our societies, it produces a toxic environment of mistrust, suspicion and hostility. We must unite to challenge these racist, populist myths and educate our communities, developing programmes, policies and activities that can change deeply held preconceptions.

For our societies there are so many benefits to be gained by respecting difference and welcoming diversity, while discrimination has a destructive impact on individuals and groups.

Join forces with the European antiracism movement!
This is a European-wide call for action. Thousands of activists, from Portugal to Russia and from Iceland to Cyprus, united in the 19th annual European-wide Action Week Against Racism, mobilise to claim the streets of their neighborhood and beyond with creative actions. It is about bringing people together and enjoying diversity, about raising awareness on local problems, about solutions from a varied community and about getting to know the unknown.

*** European List of Activities ***
To make sure your activity is included in the European List of Activities, documenting all the different activities during the campaign and the strength of the anti-racism movement, send any available information to UNITED, either by

fax (+31-20-6834582),

e-mail (21march@unitedagainstracism.org)

mail (Postbus 413, NL-1000 AK Amsterdam)

or just call in the UNITED secretariat (+31-20-6834778).

The List is regularly updated

*** LET US CAMPAIGN TOGETHER ***
UNITED for Intercultural Action is the European network against nationalism, racism, fascism and in support of migrants and refugees. Linked through UNITED, more than 550 organisations and youth organisations work together on a voluntary basis.

UNITED publicizes and supports initiatives of local groups and highlights the issues of racism on an European level.

More information: info@unitedagainstracism.org - www.unitedagainstracism.org