.png)
The International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination was established in 1966 by the UN General Assembly. It called on the international community to increase its efforts to eliminate all forms of racial discrimination worldwide after the shocking events of the Sharpeville massacre, in Sharpeville South African where, on March 21st 1960, South African police opened fire killing 69 people at a peaceful demonstration against the apartheid “pass laws,” laws making it unlawful for non-whites to travel outside certain areas without a “pass.”
In 1983 the UN called on the international Community to participate in a program of action to combat racism and racial discrimination. In 1989 the Canadian Government became one of the first nations to launch an annual campaign. Today Canadians continue to collectively acknowledge decades of discrimination faced by First Nation, Métis and Inuit (FNMI) peoples of Canada, Muslim Canadians, immigrants both past and present and refugees seeking a safe harbour within our borders. Today activist and organizations like Murdered and Missing Women are calling for the eradication of discrimination based on race.
Foothills Community Immigrant Services in partnership with the Foothills Baha'i Faith group, the Town of Okotoks, the Okotoks Library and Okotoks Cinema will be presenting 5 days of diversity awareness and anti-racism information leading up to March 21.
Click here to watch a video all about the International Day for the Elimination of Racism: https://youtu.be/uJYgwos5XaU
Presented in partnership with
The Town of Okotoks & Okotoks Cinema