WCAR General Information

Released September 2000

PURPOSE OF THE WORLD CONFERENCE

The UN General Assembly has called for a Conference that will be "action-oriented and should focus on practical measures to eradicate racism..." Furthermore, its mission should be:

• To review progress made in the fight against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance; to reappraise obstacles to further progress and to devise ways to overcome those obstacles;
• To consider how to ensure the better application of existing standards in combating racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance;
• To increase awareness about racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance;
• To make recommendations on how the activities and mechanisms of the United Nations can be more effective in fighting racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance;
• To review the political, historical, economic, social, cultural and other factors leading to racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance;
• To make recommendations on further national, regional and international measures to combat racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance;
• To make recommendations for ensuring that the United Nations has sufficient resources for its actions to combat racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance.

CONFERENCE OUTCOMES

The Conference will produce a Declaration and a Program of Action that will contain concrete and practical recommendations to combat racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance. The Program of Action is expected to contain specific goals and objectives with timetables for their achievement.

CONFERENCE SLOGAN AND THEMES

The first preparatory committee meeting, held in Geneva, May 1-5, 2000, adopted the slogan "United to Combat Racism: Equality, Justice, Dignity" and the following five themes:

1. Sources, causes, forms and contemporary manifestations of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance.

2. Victims of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance.

3. Measures of prevention, education and protection aimed at the eradication of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance at the national, regional and international levels.

4. Provision of effective remedies, recourse, redress [compensatory]* and other measures at the national and international levels.

5. Strategies to achieve full and effective equality, including international cooperation and enhancement of United Nations and other international mechanisms in combating racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, and follow-up.

*There was no consensus among UN member states on the term "compensatory."

LEADERSHIP

Mary Robinson, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, will serve as Secretary General of the World Conference.

The United States is represented on the Bureau of the World Conference, with Ambassador Betty King, the United States Representative to the United Nations Economic and Social Council, serving as a vice-chairperson. The Bureau is composed of the following:

Chairperson:

Ms. Absa Claude Diallo (Senegal)

Vice-Chairpersons:

Mr. Raouf Chatty (Tunisia)
Ms. Mehdi Danesh Yazdi (Iran)
Mr. Hamidon Ali (Malaysia)
Mr. Gioce Petreski (The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia)
Mr. Teimuraz Bakradze (Georgia)
Mr. Adhemar Bahadian (Brazil)
Mr. Philippe Petit (France)
Ms. Betty King (United States)

Vice-Chairperson-Rapporteur:

Mr. Arturo Hernandez Basave (Mexico)
Ex officio: Mr. S.G. Nene (South Africa)

PARTICIPATION OF NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS

Non-governmental organizations are invited to apply to participate in the World Conference and its preparatory committee meetings. Application procedures are forms can be found at www.unhchr.ch/html/racism/note.htm

UN GOODWILL AMBASSADORS

The High Commissioner for Human Rights has designated the following persons as UN Goodwill Ambassadors:

• Nobel Prize laureate for literature Wole Soyinka of Nigeria,
• Nobel Prize laureate for literature Seamus Heaney of Ireland,
• Panamanian actor and musician Ruben Blades,
• Moroccan writer Tahar Ben Jelloun,
• Indian sitarist Ravi Shankar,
• Former Icelandic President Vigdis Finnbogadottir,
• Children's rights defender Marian Wright Edelman of the United States.

For more information about UN preparations for the World Conference, please visit the conference website at www.unhchr.ch/html/racism/index.htm or the UN Home Page at www.un.org.