Church representatives will attend U.N. conference on racism
6/8/2001 News media contact: Linda Bloom · (646) 369-3759 · New York By United Methodist News Service United Methodists will join other religious representatives as nongovernmental participants in the third conference on racism to be sponsored by the United Nations.
Set Aug. 31-Sept. 7 in Durban, South Africa, the U.N. World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance will address new forms of racism based on culture, nationality, religion or language. A forum for nongovernmental organizations will precede the event from Aug. 28 to Sept. 1.
The United Nations has adopted action programs for three "International Decades to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination." During the first decade, 1973-82, a structure was set up to focus on implementing international methods to eliminate racial discrimination, and a worldwide education campaign was launched. In the second decade, 1983-92, the United Nations continued the public information campaign, drafted model legislation to guide national governments and considered how victims of discrimination can obtain recourse.
For the current decade, 1994-2003, the scope has been broadened to emphasize that every society is affected by discrimination. Besides dealing with that issue, the United Nations is also focusing on racism resulting from official doctrines of racial superiority or exclusivity.
A provisional agenda with five themes was established for the conference in Durban. Those themes center around the sources, causes, forms and contemporary manifestations of racism and related topics; the victims; the measures of prevention, education and protection to eradicate racism on all levels; provision of effective remedies, recourses and redress; and strategies to achieve full and effective equality.
Gretchen Hakola, communications staff with the United Methodist Board of Church and Society, attended a preparatory meeting for the Durban conference last month in Geneva. She said work was continuing on a draft declaration and platform for action for the event.
The World Council of Churches (WCC), with its longtime commitment to eliminating racism, is contributing its international experience in preparation for the meeting. The WCC sponsored a May 10-13 preparatory meeting in Dearborn, Mich., for U.S. and Canadian church representatives.
In addition to Hakola, NGO delegates to Durban representing the United Methodist Board of Church and Society are Liberato Bautista and Kenrick Fealing, staff executives; the Rev. Chester Jones, chief executive, United Methodist Commission on Religion and Race; the Rev. Juanita Rasmus, a pastor from Texas; and Elena Tarynor, a Church and Society director from Wisconsin.
Representing the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries are Elizabeth Calvin, Suzanne Ife Williams, David Wildman and Lois Dauway, staff; Roseangela Oliveira, Sebastine Ujereh, and Marthe Dansokno, missionaries; and Mee Sue Park, Global Ministries director from California.
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