Greetings from The Civil Society Forum 17th to 19th of April, Geneva

For the past 2 days we attended the Civil Society Forum, the debates alternated between guest speakers and group work sessions, discussing many thematic issues like anti-black racism, discrimination and xenophobia against migrants, trafficked persons, multiple discrimination against women: interface of race and sex and discrimination against indigenous peoples, including environmental racism.

CLC is proud that Karl Flecker was also a guest speaker at this forum. The thematic of his discussion was on discrimination and socio-economics.

The Forum in consultation with non-governmental organisations (NGO) will be proposing to sign a common declaration that will be presented the Durban Review Conference.

There was also a demonstration for an International March against Racism organised by the Swiss organisations. The starting place was at the Place de Neuve in the old downtown Geneva.

We were around 800 hundreds people that showed up and many NGO organisations had their flags and banners with them, it’s the first international anti-racism demonstration in Geneva.

On this bright sunny afternoon, There was a convivial atmosphere and very engaged activists that participated in this very pacifist demonstration. We hope to see many of those members at the conference DRC next Monday morning...

Racism still poses tremendous threat to justice and wellbeing of people around the globe and has powerful actors seek to erode and prevent the UN programmes and commitments against racism from being realized. Thus there is a greater need than ever for Civil Society to come together in support of the implementation of the agreed UN framework against racism and plan for renewed activities and work against racism & racial discrimination.

The Civil society forum is organised on request by the NGO’S Civil Society organisations from all parts of the world.

This event helps the Canadian NGO’s and the Canadian Labour of Congress delegations to network and exchange concrete issues for the DRC conference.

« All united against racism!»
Danielle Dubuc
For the Canadian Labour Congress delegation at the Durban Conference Review in Geneva.
Racial visible Equal opportunity representative for Public Service Alliance of Canada