Mun Position
Preamble
Whereas President TM Mbeki in his State of the Nation Address on the occasion of the official opening of parliament on 4 February 2000, called for a National Conference on Racism and requested the South African Human Rights Commission to convene such an event;
Whereas the South African Human Rights Commission convened a National Steering Committee which included the Commission on Gender Equality, South African Non-Governmental Organisational Coalition (SANGOCO) and government representatives to guide it in the organisation of the National Conference;
Whereas the National Steering Committee adopted certain principles which would guide the conduct of the National Conference on Racism: that it would be truly national and representative of all sectors of South African society; it would be fully participatory and interactive in order to ensure that the views, experiences and visions of ordinary South Africans were heard. To this end comprehensive provincial public consultations and public meetings were undertaken and nation-wide public submissions and contributions solicited to inform the National Conference. Further, the National Conference would be outcomes-oriented in order to commit all South Africans to a common programme of action to combat racism;
Whereas it was resolved that the objectives of the National Conference on Racism were to promote understanding of the nature, meaning and manifestations of racism in South African society, devise a common programme for the elimination of all forms of racism and make preparations for the United Nations 3rd World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance due to be held in South Africa in August / September 2001;
Whereas the United Nations General Assembly has declared the year 2000 to be the International Year for the Culture of Peace and 2001 the International Year of Mobilisation against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance and also
Whereas President TM Mbeki in his State of the Nation Address on the occasion of the official opening of parliament on 4 February 2000, called for a National Conference on Racism and requested the South African Human Rights Commission to convene such an event;
Whereas the South African Human Rights Commission convened a National Steering Committee which included the Commission on Gender Equality, South African Non-Governmental Organisational Coalition (SANGOCO) and government representatives to guide it in the organisation of the National Conference;
Whereas the National Steering Committee adopted certain principles which would guide the conduct of the National Conference on Racism: that it would be truly national and representative of all sectors of South African society; it would be fully participatory and interactive in order to ensure that the views, experiences and visions of ordinary South Africans were heard. To this end comprehensive provincial public consultations and public meetings were undertaken and nation-wide public submissions and contributions solicited to inform the National Conference. Further, the National Conference would be outcomes-oriented in order to commit all South Africans to a common programme of action to combat racism;
Whereas it was resolved that the objectives of the National Conference on Racism were to promote understanding of the nature, meaning and manifestations of racism in South African society, devise a common programme for the elimination of all forms of racism and make preparations for the United Nations 3rd World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance due to be held in South Africa in August / September 2001;
Whereas the United Nations General Assembly has declared the year 2000 to be the International Year for the Culture of Peace and 2001 the International Year of Mobilisation against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance and also