6 February 1992

Doc. 6569

1403-6/2/92-7-E

MOTION FOR A RECOMMENDATION

on the fight against racism and intolerance

presented by Mrs HALLER and others

      The Assembly,

1.       Profoundly disturbed by the rise of aggressive nationalism, ethnocentrism, xenophobia, racism, and intolerance in the countries of Europe;

2.       Convinced that these tendencies represent a mortal danger for democracy, human rights and the peaceful co-existence between human beings and peoples in Europe;

3.       Condemning doctrines and practices founded on the negation of the equal dignity of all human beings and on the rejection of others and otherness;

4.       Convinced that education and information are important means in acting against the above-mentioned tendencies whose origin frequently lies in ignorance being a source of incomprehension, hatred and violence;

5.       Recalling the Committee of Ministers' Resolution 68(30) of 31 October 1968, on measures to be taken against incitement to racial, national and religious hatred, its own Resolution 743 (1980) on the need to combat resurgent fascist propaganda and its racist aspects, the "Declaration regarding intolerance - a threat to democracy", adopted by the Committee of Ministers on 14 May 1981 at its 68th session, and Recommendation No. R(85)7 of the Committee of Ministers to member states on teaching and learning about human rights in schools, of 14 May 1985;

6.       Recalling the important work which the Council of Europe has undertaken for years in favour of human rights education and intercultural learning as well as on community relations;

7.       Having taken note with interest of the work of the seminar on "Intercultural learning for human rights", organised by the Council of Europe at Klagenfurt (Austria) in October 1991,

8.       Recommends to the Committee of Ministers

i.       to reaffirm vigorously the principles proclaimed in its 1981 Declaration "regarding intolerance - a threat to democracy" and its condemnation of all forms of intolerance;

ii.       to give a new impetus to the Council of Europe's work on human rights education, intercultural learning and community relations;

iii.       to instruct the Secretariat-General to observe thoroughly manifestations of intolerance in European countries and to provide it with the means necessary for this end;

iv.       to invite member states to adopt and/or strengthen measures against incitement to national, racial and religious hatred.

Signed:       HALLER, ESPERSEN, VOGEL, GUNDERSEN, JANSSON, Sir Dudley SMITH, OEHRY, NUNEZ, PETITPIERRE, ROKOFYLLOS, WORMS, COLUMBERG.