Supt. Tom Murphy (An Garda Siochana)
Lynn Jackson (recent anti Semitic incidents in Ireland)
Philip Watt/Anastasia Crickley (NCCRI)
To mark European Week Against
Racism 14th to 21st of March, the National Consultative Committee on
Racism and Interculturalism (NCCRI) is launching the first North/South
handbook ‘Seeking Advice and Redress Against Racism in Ireland: An Information Handbook’.
The handbook will be launched on Sunday March 13, 2005 at 2.00pm in the
Oak Room, Mansion House, Dawson Street, Dublin 2.
The NCCRI has produced this publication in partnership with the
Equality Commission for Northern Ireland. Funding for the initiative
includes support from the Department of Justice, Equality and Law
Reform.
The handbook is aimed for use by a wide range of different agencies,
North and South including statutory agencies and non-government
organisations working with refugees, asylum seekers, migrants and
Travellers and the general public.
Anastasia Crickley, Chairperson of the NCCRI stated ‘the
handbook recognises that racism is a multifaceted issue that can range
from discrimination in the workplace to assaults, verbal abuse and
harassment to the distribution of offensive material and racism on the
Internet’.
The information handbook is available in our website at www.nccri.ie/publications-other.html and on www.equalityni.org
Director of the NCCRI, Philip Watt stated ‘There needs to be
more cooperation in Ireland North and South to combat racism. The
handbook provides essential information about where you should complain
if you experience racism in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern
Ireland.
About International Day Against Racism March 21
In 1966 March 21st was declared International Day for the Elimination
of All Forms of Racial Discrimination by the General Assembly of the
United Nations. For the past three years the NCCRI, Equality Commission
for Northern Ireland and the KNOW RACISM Campaign have co-ordinated
activities linked to March 21st. All over Ireland, North and South,
groups organise events to mark and celebrate March 21st and European
Week Against Racism March 14 to March 21 2005. The theme for 2005 is
Protection: effective protection and redress against racism, North and
South including a focus on discrimination, assaults, threatening
behaviour and incitement to hatred.
Other Events
To mark the week there are a number of initiatives taking place in Ireland and Northern Ireland. These include
- Over 60 events, North and South (see the calendar of some of these events on our website www.nccri.ie)
- A major conference on March 15 focussing on local communities and the National Action Plan Against Racism
- The launch of the NCCRI
North/South initiative in Dundalk (March 21) by the Minister for
Foreign Affairs, Mr. Dermot Ahern, T.D.
- A Secondary Schools Poetry Competition in association with Poetry Ireland
