On Friday 19 March, the OHCHR commemorated the International Day for Elimination of Racial Discrimination (21 March) with a panel of discussion on the role of sport in fighting against racism. Member States and other attendees heard from the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, as well as a statement delivered on behalf of the Special Rapporteur on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. The discussion focused on the upcoming FIFA 2010 World Cup to be held in South Africa and the important opportunity for fighting against racism that such events represent.
Hearing also from a representative of the Anthony Walker Foundation, the panel discussion highlighted how the profile of sports teams and their players can be used to fight against racism, in particular through influencing members of the public mentalities towards people of different racial backgrounds. In reaction to the tragic situation of Anthony Walker's death, a short film has been made to make sports fan think about their attitudes and to question what they are supporting when they support a football team. After the screening of a short documentary on the background of the short time and collaboration with the Liverpool Football Club, "Color Blind" was screened at the meeting - watch the short film here.
See the OHCHR website for more on the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination and on the work of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.
For more on the UN's efforts in working with the world of sports, check out the website of the International Platform on Sport and Development.
0 comments:
Post a Comment