International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination

The 2025 theme of the International Day is " 60th anniversary of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms Racial of Discrimination (ICERD) ". Elimination of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance - Item 69 Commemorative meeting on the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination Organization of work, adoption of the agenda and allocation of items - Item 7; Operational activities for development - Item 23: draft decision (A/79/L.61) (Item 7 to reopen and reallocate agenda item 23) Action on the draft decision Organization of work, adoption of the agenda and allocation of items - Item 7; Social development, including questions relating to the world social situation and to youth, ageing, persons with disabilities and the family - Item 26 (b): draft decision (A/79/L.65) (Item 7 to reopen and reallocate sub-item b of agenda item 26) Action on the draft decision Peacebuilding and sustaining peace - Ite...

The poison of racism continues to infect our world – a toxic legacy of historic enslavement, colonialism and discrimination. It corrupts communities, blocks opportunities, and ruins lives, eroding the very foundations of dignity, equality and justice. As the theme of this year’s International Day reminds us, 2025 marks the 60th anniversary of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination – a powerful, global commitment to eradicate racial discrimination in all its forms. Forged amidst the civil rights, anti-apartheid, and decolonisation movements of the 1960s, the Convention sets out concrete steps countries must take to combat racist doctrines, promote understanding, and build a world free from racial discrimination. Today, it remains a beacon of hope to guide us in dark times; times of rising hate and discord, stoked by growing inequalities, algorithms that monetise hostility, and those who seek to divide for their own gain. On this Internatio...

The theme of the International Day for the elimination of racial discrimination 2025 is “ 60th anniversary of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms Racial of Discrimination (ICERD) ”. On December 21, 1965, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) through Resolution 2106 (XX), marking a groundbreaking step in the global effort to eradicate racism . As the first of the UN's core international human rights treaties, ICERD set the stage for future human rights advancements. Its commitment to eliminating racial discrimination and promoting equality underpins the ongoing fight against racist ideas and practices, aiming to foster global understanding and unity free from racial segregation. Learn more about the Convention . The 60th anniversary of ICERD   calls for reflection on progress made against racial discrimination while highlighting ongoing challenges . It...

Racism , xenophobia and related discrimination and intolerance exist in all societies, everywhere. Racism harms not just the lives of those who endure it, but also society as a whole. We all lose in a society characterized by discrimination, division, distrust, intolerance, and hate. The fight against racism is everyone’s fight . We all have a part to play in building a world beyond racism. Dismantling structural racism by using your power to take action on the most pressing issues of our time.

Join UNESCO and leading personalities from all over the world in denouncing mounting racial discrimination. UNESCO has been on the forefront of the fight against racism since its creation in 1945. In 1978, it adopted the Declaration on Race and Racial Prejudice which reaffirms that “All human beings belong to a single species and are descended from a common stock. They are born equal in dignity and rights and all an integral part of humanity.”

The date of  March 21st  is marked as the International Day for the Elimination against Racism . We remember victims of the 1960, Sharpeville, Massacre, in South Africa . We hear the voices of survivors - of the peaceful protests, who stood up against racism. Explore How Ian Berry’s photographs of a deathly juncture in South Africa's history of apartheid became crucial proof of innocence.

The United Nations General Assembly reiterates that all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights and have the potential to contribute constructively to the development and well-being of their societies. In its most recent resolution , the General Assembly also emphasized that any doctrine of racial superiority is scientifically false, morally condemnable, socially unjust and dangerous and must be rejected, together with theories that attempt to determine the existence of separate human races . The United Nations has been concerned with this issue since its foundation and the prohibition of racial discrimination is enshrined in all core international human rights instruments. It places obligations on States and tasks them with eradicating discrimination in the public and private spheres . The principle of equality also requires States to adopt special measures to eliminate conditions that cause or help to perpetuate racial discrimination

On Friday March 21st ; International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination , the United Nations Secretary-General  Mr. António Guterres said “The United Nations is a proud ally in the fight for the dignity and equal rights of each member of our human family, We will not rest until a world free of racial discrimination becomes reality,” he stressed.