Strasbourg, 13/03/2002 (Agence Europe) - The International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination will be celebrated on 21 March. The President of the European Parliament, Pat Cox, and Fodé Sylla, French MEP and member of the Left Unity Group, explained the principles behind this struggle and appealed for inter-cultural dialogue and tolerance.
Fodé Sylla recently visited Mr Cox's constituency in Ireland, which is beginning to experience problems with the clash with diversity. Whilst paying homage to a strong mobilisation of men and women from the churches in this country, Mr Sylla pointed out that Ireland was traditionally a country of emigration that but was now becoming the host country for immigrants. The French MEP identified three kinds of intolerance in current society: a wave of anti-Islamic intolerance stoked up by the events of 11 September and accompanied by anti-Semitic attacks (but discrimination against other groups must not be forgotten, such as that against the Gypsies, added Mr Sylla).
Pat Cox recognised that conflict between Israel and Palestine is a factor in the increase in racism. Mr Cox explained that he had spoken to Miguel Angel Moratinos, the EU Special Envoy in the region, who was going to see Arafat in Ramallah, "to keep the doors open". Mr Cox also called once again for the violence to end and for dialogue to be re-launched.
Mr Cox and Mr Sylla also presented a declaration on, "One Europe, Several Communities". Mr Sylla explained that he would hand out the document to the participants in the ACP/EU Assembly session next week in South Africa, of which he is one of the Vice Presidents.