"Imagining a Future Without Racism, Intolerance, Prejudice or Xenophobia" The Australian community action kit on Racism |
Hold a community meeting to promote the World Conference and its aims
The meeting could be held any time before the World Conference, but would also be appropriate during the time of the World Conference itself (31 August to 7 September), with perhaps a follow up activity.
Suggested Strategy:
Plan a Public Meeting on a theme related to the World Conference.
Develop a panel of speakers for the meeting, including NGOs, local experts or community workers, representatives of local council, local councilors, and state and federal members of parliament.
Ask speakers to talk on one or more of the themes of the World Conference as it relates to the local community eg:
- A representative of local Indigenous community, or ethnic community, may be able to speak on their experience of racism in the local community
- A representative of migrant women may be able to speak about how the effects of racism impact particularly on women
- A representative of the local Jewish or Islamic community may be able to speak on the combined effects of religious and racial intolerance that members of these communities experience
- A local councilor or member of parliament may be able to speak on what is being or should be done to ensure our community is a tolerant and open one.
- A local university expert may be able to provide the results of local research on race issues.
Involve children by asking them to display materials on human dignity and equality, and against racism
Seek media publicity before and after the event, to ensure that the wider local community hears of the meeting.
If practicable seek partner organisations - see what other groups are doing in your area - by telephoning people you know or by asking the organisations listed in this kit if they know of anything planned.
Follow up any opportunities that might emerge from the public meeting to address racism in an ongoing way - for example, by organizing another meeting later in the year, after WCAR, to discuss its findings and recommendations
This kit is supported by the following organisations (in alphabetical order) in April 2001: Amnesty International Australia, Australian Catholic Social Justice Council, Australian Lawyers for Human Rights, Coalition Against Racism WA, Human Rights Council of Australia Inc., Quaker Service Australia, The Religious Society of Friends in Australia (Quakers),Western Australians for Racial Equality, WA Social Justice Commission - Uniting Church in Australia.