Human Rights Monitoring Institute

Action Week against Racism and Other Forms of Intolerance 2009

Human Rights Monitoring Institute traditionally organized Action Week Against Racism and Other Forms of Intolerance. Events of this Week are a part of the European Action Week Against Racism coordinated by UNITED, a network of non-governmental organizations unifying more than 560 organizations across Europe, committed to fight against racism and other forms of intolerance and discrimination (more http://www.unitedagainstracism.org).

Europe is experiencing a growing intolerance and discrimination, in particular against migrant groups. Violence, beatings and killings are only a few examples of hate crimes that are regularly reported all over Europe. Governments have the responsibility to implement anti-discrimination measures and protect equal rights of individuals regardless of their "difference". Instead, we see lack of proper reaction by state institutions, political parties and media to increasing intolerance and blaiming discriminated groups themselves.

The alarming growth of racial motivated attacks in Lithuania is a clear sign that we need to work together to oppose racism, other forms of intolerance, and all forms of discrimination. Human Rights Monitoring Institute invites everyone to participate actively in the events of the Action Week Against Racism 2009 and this way to contribute to the reduction of exclusion and discrimination in Lithuania.

21 March was declared International Day for the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination by the General Assembly of the United Nations as a reaction to the murder of 69 anti-apartheid demonstrators in Sharpeville, South Africa, in 1960. During the annual European-wide Action Week, which centers around 21 March, thousands of people actively engage themselves for tolerance, equal rights and celebrate the diversity of Europe. This year the slogan of the European Action Week Against Racism is Value Diversity.

Within the Week, Human Rights Monitoring Institute in cooperation with partners will coordinate a series of events. Among them:

• Special Classes in Lithuanian secondary schools to commemorate the International Day against Racial Discrimination (21th of March). During the classes students will discuss the genesis of racism, modern manifestations of racism and learn about the proper reaction. Methodological material was prepared and distributed among participating schools in cooperation with the Center for Equality Advancement. Partners: the Lithuanian Center for Human Rights, the Center for Equality Advancement, the United Nations Development Program, schools in various regions of Lithuania. Date: 16th-26th of March

• Discussion “Racism in Lithuania: Latent or Non-existent?”. Representatives of the Office of the General Prosecutor, the Inspector of Journalists' Ethics Office, the Equal Opportunities Ombudsperson Office, the Institute of Social Research and representatives of the media will exchange their views on the extend to which racism manifests itself in Lithuania and in what forms.  Partners: Students' corporation "RePublica” and Sudents' Research Association of the Institute of International Relations and Political Science. Date: 20th of March, Friday, 2.15 pm. Location: Institute for International Relations and Political Science (Vokiečių street 10, room 402 ).

• The exhibition “Ni Hao / Labas”. The exhibition of photographs produced by Giedrė Valtaitė offers an acquaintance with the people representing an exotic culture. “Everywhere, people are alike, the hearts and the rules are the same, only eyes and hair colors are different”- says the artist.  The exhibition will take place in a popular pub in Vilnius Old Town. Opening date: 21st of March, Saturday, 12 pm (Exhibition will be open from March 21th till March 29th). Location: Transylvania Pub (Totorių street 22, Vilnius). Partners: the United Nations Development Programme, the Transylvania Pub.

• Tolerance Campaign “Glasses” in Kaunas and Living Library. Screening of a documentary („Stranger among insiders", directed by A. Šliažas according to Louis Theroux journalistic material). Lecture about the situation of minority ethnic groups in Lithuania (Karolis Žibas, the Center for Ethnic Studies). Living Library – a part of youth human rights education program for demolition of stereotypes and education for tolerance by the Council of Europe. Partners: International association of film-makers „Freimas“, Kaunas Public Health Education Center, the United Nations Development Programme, the Youth Campaign "All different - All Equal". Date: 21st of March, 2:00 pm. Location: Kaunas (Laisvės av. 68).

• Discussion “Virtual Comments: Limits of Freedom of Expression”. Participants: Armanas Abramavičius, Justice of the Constitutional Court of Lithuania, Rimvydas Valentukevičius, Head Prosecutor of Special Investigation Division of the General Prosecutors‘ Office, Henrikas Mickevičius, Executive Director of the Human Rights Monitoring Institute, Deividas Velkas, Advisor to the Journalists' Ethics Inspector. Partners: ELSA Vilnius (Vilnius branch of the Lithuanian National Group of the European Law Students Association), the United Nations Development Programme. Date: 24th of March. 3:00 pm. Location: OSF Lithuania Conference hall (Didžioji street 5, 4 floor).

• Debates "Lithuania for Lithuanians?". Student team vs. Guest team, comprised of human rights experts. Partners: Debate Club of Mykolas Romeris University, Debate Club of Vilnius University. Date: 24th of  March, 3.00 pm. Location: Mykolas Romeris University (I-414 auditorium).

• Film screening. Screening of a documentary about manifestations racism at the Transylvania Pub followed by informal discussion. Partners: Transylvania Pub, the Lithuanian Center of Human Rights, ELSA Lithuania (the Lithuanian national group of European Law Students Association), the United Nations Development Programme. Date: 24th of March, 6 pm. Location: Transylvania Pub (Totarių street 22, Vilnius).

• Discussion “Gypsy” or “Roma”?" Presentation of a series of interviews produced by HRMI followed by an expert discussion. Participants: representatives of the Lithuanian Language Commission, the Equal Opportunities Ombudsperson Office, the Lithuanian Journalists' and Publishers' Commission, the Inspector for Journalists' Ethics, the Center for Ethnic Studies, the Roma Community Center.  Partners: ELSA Vilnius (Vilnius branch the Lithuanian National Group of the European Law Students Association), the United Nations Development Programme,  the Roma Community Centre. Date:  26th of March 10.00 am. Location: HRMI Conference Room (Didžioji street 5, 4 floor).

Events of the Action Week will be supported by the Media Campaign.  Partners: national and regional press and online media.

Partners and sponsors of the Action Week Against Racism 2009 are the United Nations Development Programme in Lithuania, the Lithuanian Centre for Human Rights, ELSA Vilnius (Vilnius branch of the Lithuanian National group of the European Law Students Association), ELSA Lithuania, the Center for Equality Advancement, Transylvania Pub, Debate Club of the Mykolas Romeris University, Debate Club of Vilnius University, Students' Corporation "RePublica” and Students' Research Association of the Institute of International Relations and Political Science , Youth Campaign "All different – All Equal", International Association of Film Makers „Freimas, Roma Community Centre.