| Speech
by Minister Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of South
Africa at the Opening Ceremony of the World Conference Against Racims, Racial
Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance (WCAR), Durban, 31 August 2001 Your Majesty
Their Excellencies Heads of State and Government
The Secretary General of the United Nations
The Honourable Ministers of Foreign Affairs
The Secretary-General of the World Conference Against Racism
Heads of Delegation
Distinguished Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen
In accepting the Presidency of this Conference, it is
appropriate to pay a special tribute to the gallant fighter against racism and son of
Africa, Govan Mbeki, who sadly passed away on the eve of this Conference.
Inspired by the collective efforts of humanity, slavery,
slave trade, colonialism and Apartheid they have all ceased to be. They’ve all been
defeated, because humanity could not countenance oppression of one by another, because
humanity has dared to affirm an injunction that we are all born equal with inherent rights
and dignity. These noble words are enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
of the United Nations and serves as a guiding light and offers hope for all of humanity.
Representing the African women, I know the pain of slavery,
colonialism whose legacy is staring me in the face every day. My continent bears the scars
of conflicts, abject poverty, racism, marginalization, social exclusion, underdevelopment,
economic disparities, humiliation and indignity, all have their roots in the practices of
these abominable systems.
We can take pride in the role of this region in the long
struggle against racism. It was in this province that Mahatma Ghandi launched his
non-violent resistance struggle and later inspired the freedom struggle in India and
world-wide. South Africa has a long history of resistance symbolised by the award of the
Nobel Peace Prize to Chief Albert Lutuli, who was the first African leader to receive it
and comes from this region. Despite the triumph against racism, all countries of the world
continues to battle against the contemporary forms of racism. It is my hope that at the
end of this Conference, we will learn from and share with the international community on
the ways and means of dealing with racism.
Distinguished Representatives
Our Conference must issue a clarion call to the rest of the
world to end the unspeakable evils of Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and
Related Intolerance. Concomitantly, with this call, we must launch a sustained Programme
of Action capable of being implemented by every country at every level.
In recognising the work that has been produced thus far, I
wish to thank all Member States for their contributions in their respective regions. This
was followed by intensive Preparatory Meetings held in Geneva. Indeed, at times it seemed
gloomy and hopeless, but we persevered and recorded substantial progress. We must build on
that, aware of the sensitivity and pain involved in confronting these issues. It is my
hope that we shall together respond to this challenge before us. We must succeed, we
cannot afford anything less than success. At the end of this century we must look back at
this Conference as the beginning of an offensive against racism.
The Youth Summit and the NGO Forum have also discussed
these issues and challenged the Conference to bequeath them with a non-racial, non-sexist,
tolerant and peaceful world. We dare not fail them. This will be a fitting tribute to all
those who over generations have sacrificed their lives in the battle against racism.
It will be remiss of me to conclude without acknowledging
the dextrous work of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and her Secretariat. She and
her team have performed brilliantly under trying conditions.
I, therefore, accept with humility, the task assigned to me
as President of this Conference by this distinguished Assembly. My success is dependent on
the cooperation of all of you. I know, without doubt, that all of you will contribute in
any way you can to make this Conference a success. It will be through our perseverance and
co-operation in the spirit of brotherhood and sisterhood that we will all succeed.
In his book, Long Walk to Freedom, the icon of our struggle
Mr Nelson Mandela made this seminal comment " I have taken a moment here to rest, to
steal a view of the glorious vistas that surround me, to look back on the distance I have
come. But I can rest only for a moment, for with freedom comes responsibilities and I dare
not linger for my long walk is not yet ended.
It is my fervent hope, that at the end of this conference
we will look back proudly at the road traversed thus far and go on to give concrete
expression to the Programme of Action and the Declaration that we would adopt with
consensus.
I thank you.
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