Brussels: Europe and the Arabs
"All people are born free and equal in dignity and rights. There is no place for racial discrimination in society, and we must intensify efforts to ensure its complete elimination. We do not celebrate This year is not only the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, but we also celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, a groundbreaking document adopted by all member states of the United Nations that guarantees all human rights for all, without any discrimination.After 75 years, the challenge still exists To turn those standards into reality.The EU Action Plan against Racism 2020-2025 aims to place equality at the heart of all areas of EU policy, with particular attention to economic, social and cultural rights, in particular the rights to education, work, health and housing..and encourages the adoption of and implement national action plans to combat racism to concretely address and eliminate racism and racial discrimination.
Fighting racism also means removing barriers, reducing disparities in wealth, and bias in criminal justice, as well as challenging stereotypes and prejudices. Public incitement to violence or hatred based on race, colour, religion, descent, or national or ethnic origin is prohibited in the European Union. We are taking concrete action to tackle hate speech online through the EU Code of Conduct, which major social media platforms subscribe to. Last year, anti-gypsy, xenophobic, including hatred against immigrants and sexual orientation were the most frequently reported causes of hate speech in the European region.
It supports efforts to prevent, detect and respond to racist and xenophobic crimes or to promote an inclusive environment through civil society engagement. For example, in the Middle East, creating meaningful opportunities for Arab and Jewish students to interact positively with each other and develop a common language of trust within a divided society.
The European Union is built on diversity, on bringing countries together and overcoming divisions. It is based on a strong legal framework against racial discrimination. However, this requires constant protection and reinforcement. The European Union will continue to do its best in combating racism and racial discrimination within its borders, with all the resources at its disposal. We will also work with all partners, both bilateral and multilateral, to promote and protect human rights for all as clearly set out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Fighting racism is a legal, political and moral duty. All human beings are entitled to all human rights, everywhere and all the time, without discrimination of any kind