THE NIGERIAN MODEL UNITED NATIONS SOCIETY




LEAD CITY UNIVERSITY CHAPTER, LEAD CITY UNIVERSITY
OBA OTUDEKO AVENUE, TOLL GATE, LAGOS-IBADAN EXPRESS WAY IBADAN


The International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination

By: Olamide Santos 

The International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination is observed annually on 21 March. On that day, in 1960, police opened fire and killed 69 people at a peaceful demonstration in Sharpeville, South Africa, against the apartheid pass laws. Proclaiming the day in 1966, the United Nations General Assembly called on the international community to redouble its efforts to eliminate all forms of racial discrimination.

2014 Theme: "The Role of Leaders in Combating Racism and Racial Discrimination".
This year's theme was chosen by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to highlight key role that leaders play in mobilizing political will to combat racism and racial discrimination.
A panel discussion was held on the topic at the UN in Geneva also at UN Headquarters in New York, the General Assembly held a Special Meeting in observance of the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, on as mandated by GA resolution 68/151. 
"I call on all people, especially political, civic and religious leaders, to strongly condemn messages and ideas based on racism, racial superiority or hatred as well as those that incite racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance."

 Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
The Lead City University, Ibadan chapter of the Nigerian Model United Nation’s Society NigMUNs joins the international community in commemoration of the lives lost to racial discriminations and the struggles to make the world a better, peaceful place for all mankind.
The elimination of racial discrimination among different races in the world should begin by mental integration, meaning that all races should regard themselves as equal and not superior to any other. Also political leaders should play a more active role in the elimination of racial discrimination.
Racial discrimination is a scourge to humanity which has resulted to a lot of sad historical event, like the holocaust, the Rewanda genocide, but to mention a few. Racism can best be described as a situation of hatred or a feeling of superiority or dominance by a group of people against another of a different race, tribe, and ethnicity
Since 1966, the United Nations has been working to eradicate racial discrimination, by formulating laws, programmes to enlighten people to fight against all forms of racial discrimination. The first country to show support and join the UN on this quest is Canada in 1989.
This annual celebration reminded people of racial discrimination’s negative consequences and encouraged people to fight against racial discrimination. The United Nations Association in Canada, defines racial discrimination, as “any distinction, exclusion, restriction or preference, based on race color descent or national or ethnic origin that has the purpose or effect of nullifying or impairing the recognition enjoyment or exercise on equal footing of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political economic social cultural or any other field of public life”.
The UN calls on all to “act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood” on a final note, this is a call to all and sundry to stop discrimination against one another to, fight against racial discrimination in our society. Let us all work in harmony to promote peace in our world and reduce the rate of conflict and war.

For further reading please log on to
http://www.un.org/en/letsfightracism/pdfs/United%20against%20Racism_English_web.pdf

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