“I REFUSE to be a RACIST” Rotaract campaign attempts to create “A World without Hate”
Saturday, 22 March 2014 00:00
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As a timely attempt to both mark the International Day for the Elimination of Racism and to create a global platform for the youth of the world to stand up against racism, the Rotaract Club of Colombo Millennium City launched the “Anti-Racism” online campaign.
The International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination is observed annually on 21 March. On that day, in 1960, police opened fire and killed 69 people at a peaceful demonstration in South Africa, against Apartheid pass laws. Proclaiming the day in 1966, the United Nations General Assembly called on the international community to redouble its efforts to eliminate all forms of racial discrimination.
However the declaration of a specific day has not stopped the roots of racism from spreading in to every country and culture. Many of the wars that have been fought before and after the declaration and even most on-going wars have stemmed from the basis of racism. All Sri Lankans are also aware that a three decade civil war within our borders was a direct result of racial tensions. This same racial tension has been raising its ugly head in the recent past.
This is one of the main reasons behind the Rotaract Club of Millennium City’s decision to launch this project. With the primary vision of creating a “World without Hate” the Rotaractors come under a common theme of “I REFUSE to be a RACIST”. This message has also been spread through the Rotaract global network to include support from youth in Thailand, the United Kingdom, Egypt and India. The Facebook page www.facebook.com/I-REFUSE-to-be-a-Racist was launched today and will spread the message on anti-racism among youth networks and use social media for positive change. The main objective of the project is to make sustainable global change on anti-racism driven by the youth of the world, negate the perceptions and misunderstandings on racism, and to overcome future global wars, conflicts and human calamities by educating the next generation about the disasters that one single spark of racism can create. The Rotaract Club of Colombo Millennium City therefore calls on all youth and youth networks both locally and globally to join hands in this timely cause and help spread the message of anti-racism.
For more information please contact: International Understanding Director 2013/2014
Rotaract Club of Colombo Millennium City R.I District 3220 – Sri Lanka & Maldives via
[email protected].
