Murder in Sharpeville 21/03/1960

21ST MARCH

International Day for the Elimination of Racial

Discrimination is celebrated on the day of

the week when the Sharpeville massacre in 1960 (South Africa) took

place - in a peaceful demonstration against the "pass laws" of apartheid police gunned down 69

people who took part in it.

The day begins Week of Solidarity with the People Struggling against Racism and Racial Discrimination (to 27 March),

established by Resolution 34/24 (1979) of United Nations, as part of the celebration of the first Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination established in 1973

(1973 - 1982).

The festival is to celebrate the memory of the victims of the Sharpeville massacre and other incidents and an increase in activity for the elimination of all forms of racism, xenophobia and discrimination in the world.

In 2001 (31 August-7 September), at the end of World Conference on Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and related intolerance, the participants adopted the Declaration of the Durban (South Africa) and the programme of Action, as a model for implementing the rules relating equality and combating discrimination.

Each year the celebration takes place at a different password. The slogan in 2006 was "The fight against racism in everyday life." In 2010, the keynote of the celebration was the relationship between racism and sport. This was particularly important since South Africa became the first African country, acted as host World Cup in football.

In his message to the Member States (2010), UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon stressed that:

'' Celebration of International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination should also be an opportunity to draw attention to the role of sport in uniting people of different cultures and backgrounds. Sport can add the

strength of civil rights of vulnerable population, to influence our thinking, and inspire millions of people

around the world.''

Students of Szkola Podstawowa no 2 in Mszana Dolna, Poland