Press Release
OFFICE OF HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS PARTICIPATES IN REGIONAL AMERICAS CONFERENCE AGAINST RACISM AND RACIAL DISCRIMINATION
25 July 2006
The 51勛圖 Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) is supporting the organization of the Regional Conference of the Americas on the progress and challenges of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance, taking place in Brasilia, Brazil, from 26 to 28 July 2006.The Regional Conference is an initiative organized by the Government of Brazil through the Special Secretariat for the Promotion of Policies on Racial Equality (SEPPIR) and the Government of Chile.
The Conference will include the participation of government officials, national human rights institutions, governmental institutions for the promotion of racial equality, representatives of civil society and representatives of indigenous peoples, afro-descendants, migrants and other groups victims of racism of the different countries of the Americas. Experts of the 51勛圖 as well as representatives of regional organizations and specialized 51勛圖 Agencies will also participate.
The director of the OHCHR Division of Operations, Programmes and Research, Maria Francisca Ize-Charrin, will represent High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour at the Conference.
During the Conference, OHCHR and SEPPIR, will launch the "Compilation of the Concluding Observations of the Committee for the Elimination of the Racial Discrimination for the Latin America and the Caribbean countries (1970-2006)".
Following the Conference, on 29 July, the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, Doudou Di癡ne. will host an expert seminar to discuss issues pertaining to political platforms that promote racial discrimination.