None of us is Born to Hate; Intolerance is Taught and can be Untaught by United Nations 12:06pm 19th Mar, 2006   "None of us is born to hate; intolerance is taught and can be untaught" - UN Secretary-General says in message on day to eliminate discrimination.    Following is the text of the message by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan on the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, 21 March:    On 21 March 1960, police in apartheid South Africa fired on a peaceful demonstration in Sharpeville protesting racially discriminatory laws.  Dozens of protestors died, and many more were wounded.  Today, we commemorate the anniversary of the Sharpeville massacre not only to remember the lives that were lost, but to draw attention to the broader suffering inflicted by racial discrimination worldwide.    The focus of this year’s commemoration, “Fighting Everyday Discrimination”, challenges us to take meaningful steps to fight commonplace discriminatory practices in our societies.  We are all aware that many of man’s greatest atrocities have had racial underpinnings, but the collective toll inflicted by routine racism is frequently overlooked.  Indeed, the edifices of humanity’s most horrific crimes have often been built on the foundations of banal bigotry.    From name-calling in schools to hiring and firing decisions in the workplace, from selective media or police coverage of crimes to unequal provision of Government services, the mistreatment of racial or ethnic groups not only abounds in our societies, but often passes unchallenged.  That such everyday racism remains prevalent is undeniable.  But for it to pass unchallenged is unconscionable.    We must not tolerate the creeping rot of routine discrimination.  Nor can we resign ourselves to it as a regrettable attribute of human nature.  None of us is born to hate.  Intolerance is taught and can be untaught.  Legal guarantees are a fundamental part of this fight.  But education must be its vanguard.  Education can foster awareness and cultivate tolerance.  It should begin at home -- where, after all, many racist attitudes have their origin -- continue in school, and become integral to our public discourse.  In this struggle against intolerance, citizens must simultaneously be teachers and students.    The United Nations, through its awareness programmes, international law-making and rights-monitoring roles, has an important part to play.  But all of us need to join this battle.  On this International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, let us reaffirm that ultimate success in this struggle rests with ordinary citizens speaking out against “ordinary” intolerance.  It is they who must refuse to tolerate discriminatory acts in their daily lives.  It is they who must ensure that there is nothing “everyday” about discrimination.  And it is they who will benefit the most from communities built on rights and respect for all.    17 March 2006    UN: Imams and Rabbis urged to spread message of peace. (UN News)    United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan today sent a strong message of support to an upcoming gathering of Imams and Rabbis, urging them to use their influence to overcome fear and foster cooperation.    “You know better than anyone that the problem is not the Torah or the Koran. Indeed, the problem is never the faith – it is the faithful, and how we behave towards each other. That is why gatherings such are yours, which bring together leading religious figures, both Jewish and Muslim, are so important,” Mr. Annan said in his message to the Second World Congress of Imams and Rabbis for Peace, to be held in Seville from 19 to 21 March.    “As teachers and guides, you can be powerful agents of change. You can inspire people to new levels of commitment and public service. You can help bridge the chasms of ignorance, fear and misunderstanding. You can set an example of interfaith dialogue and cooperation,” he said to the meeting, which is expected to draw some 150 Imams, Rabbis and other religious leaders from the Middle East Europe, and North America to promote dialogue and understanding between those religious communities.    The Secretary-General noted that today, large numbers of Muslims and Jews around the world view themselves as “victims” of one another, or of the larger forces of globalization. “We look to you to help overcome this sense of victimhood and exclusion,” he said. “Your communities have to be convinced that they need not be helpless bystanders in the changing world around them, but can be involved and constructive participants in it.”    The meeting, which is slated to address such issues as faith in secular societies and technology and morality, “can help chart a path of moderation for the devout, showing them that they can remain true to their convictions and beliefs while engaging fully in the changing world around them,” Mr. Annan said.    The conference, he pointed out, can make an important contribution to the “Alliance of Civilizations,” a UN initiative aimed at bridging divides and overcoming prejudices, misconceptions, and polarizations which potentially threaten world peace.    Wishing participants a successful Congress, the Secretary-General encouraged the Imams and Rabbis to spread the Alliance"s message of dialogue and peaceful coexistence in their communities.
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