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The Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights, in collaboration with the Department of Public Information, marked the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination with a Panel discussion entitled "Young People Against Racism: The Road From Durban."

Governmental delegates and NGO representatives attending the Commission on Human Rights participated in this follow-up event to the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance (WCAR). The panel also attracted great interest from local high school students and students from the University of Geneva. Welcome packages containing the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, the WCAR newsletter and background information to the Panel discussion were distributed at the entrance of the room. A photographic display arranged by young people from the NGO Minorities of Europe gave those who attended an idea of what youth participation was like in Durban.

The panel started with a video of high school students expressing their views on racism and its causes. Then, Mary Robinson, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, read the message of Kofi Annan, the United Nations Secretary-General, for the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. She also expressed her own optimism in the face of young people’s enthusiasm to work together to eliminate racism, discrimination and intolerance. The Panel moderator, Mr. Tsatsu Dawson, an OHCHR Intern from Ghana, situated the panel in the historical context of the Sharpeville massacres and introduced the panelists.

Sheryl Wong (Australia), representative of the "Ethnic Communities Council of Western Australia", spoke about the activities that Asian youth organizations have undertaken in the wake of the WCAR and how they are organizing themselves in an anti-racism youth network.

Monica Alemán (Nicaragua), representative of the international NGO "MADRE", reminded the governmental delegates about the commitments taken towards young people in the Durban Programme of Action. She stressed the importance of involving young people in the design and implementation of national action plans against racism.

Aline Nkuzimana (Burundi), representative of the "Youth Association for the Promotion of Human Rights", shared with the meeting her personal experience of how ethnic strife adversely affects young people. She expressed her conviction that young people have an essential role in promoting reconciliation. In her case this was being done through street theatre and informal education.

Michelle Kalamandeen (Guyana), founding member of the organisation "Rights of Children (ROC)", presented the ‘Race Free Zones’ campaign. The campaign has spread throughout Guyana and is widely acclaimed as an example of good practice in anti- racism. Michelle had the audience on their feet and involved in a chant for human respect and human unity.

Alexandra Raykova (Bulgaria), Vice-president of the "Forum of European Roma Young People", spoke of the discrimination faced by young Roma in spite of existing anti-discrimination legislation and the need to strengthen the relatively new Roma youth organizations in order to effectively assist young Roma and promote their rights.

Jens Dalsgaard (Denmark), National Coordinator of UNESCO’s Transatlantic Slave Trade Education Project, explained how UNESCO has brought an accurate historic account of the transatlantic slave trade to high school students in three continents in an inter-active and creative manner.

Prof. Pierre Binette (Canada), Coordinator of the Research Group on Racism of the University of Sherbrooke, presented the preliminary findings of a large-scale survey of racist attitudes among adolescents, concluding that young people can be victimizers too.

The Panel discussion highlighted the positive contribution that young people can make to the anti-racism movement and a number of participants, like the Secretary of State for Human Rights from Brasil, Prof. Pinheiro, and Amnesty International, expressed their appreciation and support for the work of young people in promoting diversity.

Overall the Panel discussion succeeded in conveying positive encouragement to both panelists and audience to commit sincerely to the Durban agenda. The Panel also brought out the urgency of combating racism and intolerance. It inspired everyone to think about the difference we can make.

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