United Nations, March 22 – UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for unity and action to address "the ancient poison of racism," which he said is alive and well in every community, society, country, and region of the world.
In his message on the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, observed annually on March 21, Guterres said racism persists in the legacies of colonialism, enslavement, and oppression, which fuel many of today's problems – from economic, social, and political inequality to discriminatory policies and practices, and even outright conflicts. Xinhua news agency reported this.
"And it spreads through new digital tools and technologies that bombard us with hate speech, perpetuating lies and harmful stereotypes that often spill over into real-world violence and abuse," he warned.
"The solution is unity and action," the UN chief said, calling on all governments, institutions, businesses, and communities to work together to address racism and safeguard the dignity, justice, equality, and human rights that belong to every person.
"This means the universal ratification and full implementation of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination," and "adhering to the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, which is now in its 25th year, and includes concrete steps to end racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, and related intolerance," he added.
"Today, and every day, we must stand up. We must fight for the dignity, rights, and belonging of every person on Earth, and eradicate the stain of racism from our world," Guterres said.
The International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1966 to raise awareness and encourage global action against racism.