MINELRES: UNITED E-NEWS: Media Release 9/11 - commemoration 'Kristallnacht' pogrom

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Original sender: UNITED <donotreply@unitedagainstracism.org>


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                             05/11/2004
                             MEDIA RELEASE
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HOPE NOT FEAR
Activists in 43 European countries mobilize against fascism and
antisemitism

Antisemitism is still a problem in Europe today. Other kinds of racism
and discrimination are on the increase, too. The European wide campaign
on 9 November, the International Day against Fascism and Antisemitism, 
aims to counteract these tendencies.

The recent success of the neonazi party NPD in the German regional
elections in Saxony shows that racism and antisemitism still pose a
serious danger. 66 years after the 'Kristallnacht' pogrom against the
Jews in Nazi Germany, a party that regularly issues antisemitic and
racist statements got 12 seats in the regional parliament. During the
last four years the NPD even received 1.5 million Euro in subsidies from
the state. In its newly published "General Policy Recommendation on the
Fight against Antisemitism", the European Commission against Racism and
Intolerance (a Council of Europe body) calls the European governments to
"ensure that the law provides for an obligation to suppress public
financing of organisations which promote antisemitism, including
political parties".

On 9 November 2004, non-governmental organisations in 43 European
countries, coordinated through the UNITED network, commemorate the 1938
'Kristallnacht' pogrom, which is often seen as the symbolic beginning of
the Holocaust. They also draw attention to contemporary manifestations
of racism and discrimination. The organisations prepare, among others,
torchlight processions in Denmark and Norway, big anti-fascist
demonstrations and concerts in France, Hungary and Poland, school
projects in Kyrgystan, Romania and Germany and exhibitions in
Uzbekistan, Armenia and Serbia&Montenegro.

"The fascists cannot overcome a strong and united movement of
resistance. They may spread division and fear, we spread unity and hope"
- said a spokesperson of UNITED.

UNITED for Intercultural Action is a network of 560 organisations all
over Europe working against racism and fascism. Activities at the local
level in the framework of the 9 November campaign are carried out by
organisations from 43 countries. The campaign is co-ordinated by the
international secretariat of UNITED.

A full list of activities is available on www.unitedagainstracism.org
('campaigns'/ 'International Day against
Fascism and Antisemitism'). Please contact the UNITED secretariat for
further information. We will be happy to supply you with contact
information of organisations in your country/city that are organising
activities as part of the campaign.

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UNITED is the pan-European network against nationalism, racism, 
fascism and in support of migrants and refugees, supported by over 
560 organisations in 46 European countries.
How to join the network: see http://www.unitedagainstracism.org 
'joining the network'

UNITED E-NEWS is an irregular email service to 4500 organisations and 
contact persons active in the working  fields: anti-racism, refugee 
support, anti-fascism, against antisemitism, migration, minority 
issues, intercultural youth work, against nationalism etc.

Regular postal mailings, containing publications such as Addressbook 
Against Racism, Calendar of Internationalism, Campaign reports, 
Posters etc. are sent to over 2200 European organisations.  If you 
also would like to receive this mailing: see 
http://www.unitedagainstracism.org 'joining the network'

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UNITED for Intercultural Action
European network against nationalism, racism, fascism and in support 
of migrants and refugees
Postbus 413   -  NL 1000 AK Amsterdam
phone +31-20-6834778  -  fax +31-20-6834582
info@unitedagainstracism.org  -  http://www.unitedagainstracism.org

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