OSCE conference calls for dialogue and respect to combat racism, xenophobia and discrimination

BRUSSELS, 13 September 2004 - An international conference on tolerance and the fight against racism, xenophobia and discrimination held by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) began today in Brussels with a unanimous call for active respect rather than just tolerance, while discrimination, extremism and violence were condemned.

Prince Philip of Belgium, whose country will take over the OSCE Chairmanship in 2006, said he believed that intolerant and racist behaviour was inspired by a feeling of domination and fear: "People, who feel superior to the other, are afraid of losing their dominant position. Fear and domination are the enemies of tolerance and respect."

In order to break this cycle of rejection and violence, he suggested four possible actions: to denounce all expressions of racism and xenophobia, to promote respect among individuals, to do more in the area of education, and to focus on the importance of values.

Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt reminded the Conference that Brussels was home to the highest percentage of foreign nationals of any capital city in the European Union. "There must be a coherent legal framework prohibiting discrimination and racism of whatever sort," he said. "Without such a framework and its concrete implementation and enforcement by the courts, a policy promoting greater tolerance cannot succeed."

"But this is not enough," he said. "There are at least two other important keys to tolerance which a government can and must exploit: continued dialogue and education."

History must not be forgotten, he said. Tolerance and dialogue should be placed high up on the education agenda again.

The OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Bulgarian Foreign Minister Solomon Passy, said: "I believe that our Conference will foster dialogue and partnerships towards tolerance, respect and mutual understanding, will deliver a clear and distinctive message on the value of ethnic, cultural and religious diversity, the unacceptability of racist, xenophobic and discriminatory actions and attitudes, and will arrive at action-oriented results to combat them."

Prince Hassan of Jordan urged participants not just to tolerate but to respect others. He spoke about universal awareness of diversity and the importance of shared values as a means to combat xenophobia and racism.

His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomeos, the spiritual leader of 300 million Orthodox Christians, said nationalism of all types and the racial and religious discrimination based on it, were all shameful and deplorable dark spots on civilization that the OSCE, in holding this conference, was commendably seeking to eliminate.

Marielouise Beck, Germany's Commissioner for Foreigners' Issues, emphasized that in order to counter racism and xenophobia everyone needed to have a place in economic, social and political life. She said that labour migrants were an integral part of society, who must be given a chance in their new societies.

"Even if there is a minority in society that believes in racist, xenophobic or anti-Semitic ideals or ideologies, we must not give this particular minority an inch of space," she added.

In his contribution, Alcee Hastings, President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, said that racism, discrimination, intolerance and anti-Semitism all stemmed from fear and ignorance.

"Education and legislation is our only hope, if we are ever to achieve tolerance, respect and mutual understanding. We must eliminate the fears of the unfamiliar and the unknown."

"Nationalistic narcissism has no place in our countries. Not American or Turk or Muslim or Jew. Not Sinti or Roma. Just citizens of the world," he said.