21 March is the International Day for the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination, established by The General Assembly of the United Nations in 1966 following the brutal murder of 69 protestors in the South African township of Sharpeville in 1960. The massacre occurred while they had gathered to protest against the apartheid laws of the South African government, a regime systematically enforcing racial inequality and segregation. Today racist murders and violence are still commonplace and racial discrimination continues to creep into every corner of our societies.Join Forces With the European Antiracism Movement
Every year around 21 March, the UNITED Network coordinates the European-wide Action Week Against Racism and calls upon the international community to erase racism, discrimination and intolerance. We urge NGOs, independent and informal groups, schools, local councils and all manner of organisations and individuals to join forces and confront racism with direct action. Whether by organising activities, supporting others or spreading the message, we can tackle racism. Prejudice lives in all of us and so we all have a part to play in erasing it from our environment.