UN Conference Approves Anti-Racism Declaration

http://www.voanews.com/english/2009-04-21-voa52.cfm

UN Conference Approves Anti-Racism Declaration
By VOA News
21 April 2009


More than 100 countries with delegates at a global conference on racism have agreed on a declaration calling for an end to intolerance and xenophobia.

The declaration, adopted Tuesday in Geneva, reaffirms a 2001 statement issued at the first United Nations conference on racism in Durban, South Africa.

The decision Tuesday by consensus came a day after Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad stirred controversy with an address in which he described Israel as "cruel, repressive and racist." Mr. Ahmadinejad's address sparked a walkout by delegates from 23 European Union nations.

The United States and eight other Western countries boycotted the conference over fears that it would become a forum for anti-Semitism.

U.N. and Western diplomats criticized the Iranian president's remarks as outrageous, anti-Semitic and an incitement to hatred. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the Iranian leader used the meeting "to accuse, divide and even incite."

what a waste of money!

More than 100 countries with delegates at a global conference on racism have agreed on a declaration calling for an end to intolerance and xenophobia.

equal the UN is a bloated bueracracy?

...what does it actually accomplish? The UN has potential to be something great, but this is NOT a shining example of that potential.

accomplishment.

What is it you would have the UN do?

...declaring an end to something without a method of achieving it.

Who will promptly ignore anything they sign.

Visiting Heads of state, UN Ambassadors , Accommodation, Security , road blocks -- all costs money .. to what end? Make stupid speeches?


I am not trivializing racism ... I just dont think this conference does anything useful to it.

But since they have no way of doing that they'll just pass some empty resolution that they have no power to enforce either.