Durban II: Xenophobia Conference

Kuan Yin : She who harkens to the cries of the world
Rene Wadlow*

Wise in using skilful means
In every corner of the world
She manifests her countless forms

Conference on Human Unity


On 20 April starts in Geneva a United Nations conference to review progress on the Programme of Action of the 2001 World Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance. The original conference was held 31 August to 8 September 2001 in Durban, South Africa, and so the review conference has, as a short title “Durban II”.

Durban I had just folded its tents when the 11 September attacks on the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon in Washington highlighted the hates and many divisions in the world. The years since 2001 have been filled with examples of xenophobia – fear of the foreign – and related fears of all that is different, all that challenges the way the dominant forces in a country structure a society and its values.

Fortunately, there have been individuals and organized groups which have worked to break down walls and to overcome divisions among peoples. The Durban Programme of Action had recognized such efforts and called “upon States to explore means to expand the role of non-governmental organizations in society through, in particular, deepening the ties of solidarity amongst citizens and promoting greater trust across racial and social class divides by promoting wider citizen involvement and more voluntary cooperation.”

With the current world-wide economic difficulties, there is a real danger that xenophobic sentiments will be directed against foreign workers. There is a large, world-wide migration of people, on the move to increase their economic prospects, to escape conflict and violence, to break out of the chains of racial, gender, and ethnic discrimination.

We need to develop compassionate and welcoming societies so that all may find a place in which to develop their full potential. The Durban Programme of Action calls “to work to reduce violence, including violence motivated by racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance by addressing bias before it manifests itself in violent criminal activity.”

Thus Durban II is a time for all of us to stress human unity and to recall that we are all citizens of the world.

*Rene Wadlow, Representative to the UN, Geneva, Association of World Citizens.