[WCAR] Commemoration 'Kristallnacht' pogrom

******************************************************
                              05/11/2004
                              MEDIA RELEASE
******************************************************

HOPE NOT FEAR
Activists in 43 European countries mobilize against fascism and antisemitism

Antisemitism is still a problem in Europe today. Other kinds of
racism and discrimination are on the increase, too. The European wide
campaign on 9 November, the International Day against Fascism and
Antisemitism,  aims to counteract these tendencies.

The recent success of the neonazi party NPD in the German regional
elections in Saxony shows that racism and antisemitism still pose a
serious danger. 66 years after the 'Kristallnacht' pogrom against the
Jews in Nazi Germany, a party that regularly issues antisemitic and
racist statements got 12 seats in the regional
parliament. During the last four years the NPD even received 1.5
million Euro in subsidies from the state.
In its newly published "General Policy Recommendation on the Fight
against Antisemitism", the European Commission against Racism and
Intolerance (a Council of Europe body) calls the European governments
to "ensure that the law provides for an obligation to suppress public
financing of organisations which promote antisemitism,
including political parties".

On 9 November 2004, non-governmental organisations in 43 European
countries, coordinated through the UNITED network, commemorate the
1938 'Kristallnacht' pogrom, which is often seen as the symbolic
beginning of the Holocaust. They also draw attention to contemporary
manifestations of racism and discrimination. The organisations
prepare, among others, torchlight processions in Denmark and Norway,
big anti-fascist demonstrations and concerts in France, Hungary and
Poland, school projects in Kyrgystan, Romania and Germany and
exhibitions in Uzbekistan, Armenia and Serbia&Montenegro.

"The fascists cannot overcome a strong and united movement of
resistance. They may spread division and fear, we spread unity and
hope" - said a spokesperson of UNITED.

UNITED for Intercultural Action is a network of 560 organisations all
over Europe working against racism and fascism. Activities at the
local level in the framework of the 9 November campaign are carried
out by
organisations from 43 countries. The campaign is co-ordinated by the
international secretariat of UNITED.

A full list of activities is available on www.unitedagainstracism.org
('campaigns'/ 'International Day against
Fascism and Antisemitism'). Please contact the UNITED secretariat for
further information. We will be happy to supply you with contact
information of organisations in your country/city that are organising
activities as part of the campaign.


***********************************************************
UNITED is the pan-European network against nationalism, racism,
fascism and in support of migrants and refugees, supported by over
560 organisations in 46 European countries.
How to join the network: see http://www.unitedagainstracism.org
'joining the network'




========= World Conference Against Racism (WCAR) listserv =========
Send mail intended for the list to <wcar@hrea.org>. Archives of the list
can be found at: http://www.hrea.org/lists/wcar/markup/maillist.php
To subscribe to the list, send a message to <majordomo@hrea.org>, with the
following text in the message: subscribe wcar
To unsubscribe from the list, send a message to <majordomo@hrea.org>, with
the following text in the message: unsubscribe wcar
If you have problems (un)subscribing, contact <owner-wcar@hrea.org>.