INTERCONFERENCE

The United Nations will hold a World conference around the issue of racism sometime between May and September 2001. If other world conferences are anything to go by, this event will create a unique possibility of bringing the issue of anti-racism to the foreground in our societies. NGO's should make sure that the issues that are being discussed correspond with the issues they encounter in their work. Difficult political issues should not be avoided. ICARE will follow the developments in this field very closely and willprovide you with the information you need or will link to the places where you can find it.

All Different-All Equal: From Principles to Practice, October 2000

As with any world conference, preparations take place on each continent. European governments have started to prepare a European preparatory conference for October 2000. This intergovernmental conference will concentrate especially on the following four topics: "Legal protection against racism and related discrimination at sub-national, national, regional and international levels", "Policies and practices to combat racism and related discrimination at national level", "Education and awareness-raising to combat racism, related discrimination and extremism at local, national and international levels" and "Information, communication and the media".
I CARE wants to make sure that there is sufficient preparation on the side of the NGOs to make a difference. One day before the intergovernmental conference an NGO-Forum will take place, allowing a selection of NGOs to influence the official process. The program will take the same four issues into account. Both events are coordinated by ECRI (European Commission against Racism and Intolerance, http://www.ecri.coe.int )

Using I CARE to prepare

I CARE will try to enable many more people than the ones invited to the conferences to voice their concerns. I CARE aims to set up discussion lists, display all important texts and links, and if possible also e-mail events simultaneous with the conferences. NGO's will need all information they can get to prepare themselves, to lobby their governments, to make a difference.
I CARE will continue to supply you with the news in working fields related to anti-racism after these events have taken place.

Relevant links

• The official All Different All Equal - European Conference Against Racism site at ECRI.
• The UN site about the World Conference against racism in 2001.