The world-wide organisation for Community Radio, AMARC, joined the March 21 campaign three years ago by launching the broadcast of Radio Voix Sans Frontires (Voices Without Frontiers) as one of its flagship activities. NEARfm101.6, as member of AMARC and local co-ordinator of this special broadcast for Ireland, will be organising a special week of broadcasting, joining other radio stations around Europe and the rest of the world. We would like solidarity groups and NGOs to get involved in this very important campaign.
There is a lot that needs to be shouted out LOUD during the global broadcasts of Voices Without Frontiers. There is reason to be furious about so many ongoing violations of the basic human right to dignity, and there is reason to celebrate a number of achievements of those fighting for this right. Discrimination today is globally linked, to issues related to poverty, world trade systems, to patriarchy and to war. And the approaches to tackling this on a community level are limitless.
WHY 21 MARCH ?
Peaceful demonstrators against apartheid were killed in 1960, in Sharpeville, South Africa. In 1966, the United Nations declared March 21 as the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.
To mark this day, many activities take place all around Europe, organised by a wide variety of organisations.
What are the issues circling around "discrimination" and its elimination that perturb or challenge you as community broadcasters? What would you like to have as the central theme of the 2000 broadcasts?
Send us your ideas, catchphrases, mottoes and thoughts for Radio Voix Sans Frontires 2000!
E-mail Voices Without Frontiers
UNITED for Intercultural Action, European network of more than a thousand anti-discrimination organisations started the Anti-Racism week (18-24 March) with the launch of the newest version of the list of deaths of refugees (1365) caused by "Fortress Europe" together with CARF (Campaign Against Racism and Fascism) that launched its annual overview of deaths that can be attributed to racism in general in Europe. Between May and September 2001, the UNHCR is planning a "World Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and related Intolerance", to be held in South Africa. A number of NGOs are planning the campaign for March 21, 2000 as a preparation for their agenda at the World Conference in 2001.
For more information on what other organisations are doing for the 2000 campaign, here are a few interesting sites to visit:
UNITED for intercultural action
<http://www.united.non-profit.nl/postertext1.html> UNHCR Conference site <http://www.unhchr.ch/html/racism/racism.htm> Government of Canada March 21 Annual Campaign <http://www.march21.com> Internet Centre Anti-Racism I CARE, <http://www.icare.to> European Commission Against Racism and Intolerance <http://www.ecri.coe.int>
Compiled by Sruti Bala
Voices Without Frontiers