Durban Review Conference

Committee

Objectives

1. To review progress and assess implementation of The Durban Declaration and Programme of Action by all stakeholders at the national, regional and international levels, including assessment of contemporary manifestations of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, through an inclusive, transparent and collaborative process, and identification of concrete measures and initiatives for combating and eliminating all manifestations of these phenomena;
2. To assess the effectiveness of the existing Durban follow-up mechanisms and other relevant UN mechanisms dealing with the issues of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance in order to enhance them;
3. To promote the universal ratification and implementation of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, and proper consideration of the recommendations of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination;
4. To identify and share good practices achieved in the fight against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance.

   Attendance

Participation

Boycotts

• On 23 January 2008, Canada became the first country to announce it would not participate in the Durban Review Conference. A joint statement by cabinet ministers Maxime Bernier and Jason Kenney said the 2001 conference "degenerated into open and divisive expressions of intolerance and anti-Semitism that undermined the principles of the United Nations and the very goals the conference sought to achieve." Canada said it "had hoped that the preparatory process for the 2009 Durban Review Conference would remedy the mistakes of the past" but Canada had concluded the process was too flawed to make the conference " worthwhile." In a subsequent interview on 20 April, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper defended the decision to boycott the conference, stating that "Canada will not lend its name and reputation to an international conference that promotes these kinds of things" and that it was clear early on that the conference would be used to "scapegoat the Jewish people." He added that Canada "will participate in any international conference that combats racism. We will not, however, lend Canada's good name to those, such as Durban II, that promote it."
• On 19 November 2008, Israel announced it would boycott the Durban Review Conference. Israel's Foreign Minister, Tzipi Livni, stated, "The documents prepared for the conference indicate that it is turning once again into an anti-Israeli tribunal, singling out and delegitimizing the State of Israel." She said, "The conference has nothing to do with fighting racism. In view of this situation, I decided that Israel will not participate and will not legitimize the Durban II conference." On 19 April 2009, Avigdor Lieberman, Livni's successor as Foreign Minister, called the conference "a hypocrisy summit," saying the fact that Iranian President and Holocaust denier Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had been invited to speak at the conference proved its true character. "An international convention that invites a racist such as Ahmadinejad, – who preaches the extermination of the State of Israel day and night – and which allows him to make a central speech, demonstrates both its goal and its character," Lieberman said, adding that Israel could not ignore that a Holocaust-denier had been invited to take part in a convention taking place on the very same day that the Jewish people commemorate Holocaust Remembrance Day to remember the six million Jews murdered in Europe by Nazi Germany and its accomplices. Israel had previously withdrawn from the 2001 Durban Conference.
• On 27 February 2009, the United States announced it would boycott the conference. The American delegation in attendance at the conference's preparatory talks concluded that "the anti-Israel and anti-Western tendencies were too deeply entrenched to excise." The US State Department said the planned outcome document being drafted for the meeting had "gone from bad to worse, and the current text... is not salvageable... A conference based on this text would be a missed opportunity to speak clearly about the persistent problem of racism." However, in an interview on 4 April, United States Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice expressed her feeling that the content of the latest draft had improved and that a decision on the United States' involvement in the conference had not been made. Deliberation inside the Obama administration ended on 18 April: "With regret, the United States will not join the review conference," said State Department spokesman Robert Wood. Wood said the conference document reaffirmed a declaration that emerged from the original Durban conference which the United States had opposed, and that the United States was concerned over new additions to the text regarding "incitement," that run counter to the U.S. commitment to unfettered free speech. The following day, President Barack Obama said "I would love to be involved in a useful conference that addressed continuing issues of racism and discrimination around the globe," but stressed that the language of the U.N.'s draft declaration "raised a whole set of objectionable provisions" and risked a reprise Durban, "which became a session through which folks expressed antagonism toward Israel in ways that were oftentimes completely hypocritical and counterproductive." The United States had withdrawn from the 2001 Durban Conference, and did not attend the 1978 and 1985 World Conferences Against Racism.
• On 5 March 2009, Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini announced at a NATO summit that Italy was pulling out of the conference because of "aggressive and anti-Semitic statements in the draft of the event's final document." Ministry Spokesman Maurizio Massari confirmed Frattini's statements, and charged that the final draft document of the Durban Review Conference contained "expressions of anti-Semitism." Massari said Rome would not participate in the conference unless the document was changed.
• On 19 April, Australia's Foreign Minister, Stephen Smith, announced that Australia would be boycotting the conference. "Regrettably, we cannot be confident that the Review Conference will not again be used as a platform to air offensive views, including anti-Semitic views," Smith said on 19 April.
• It was reported on 14 March that the German federal government was considering a boycott of the conference. The German federal government Commissioner for Human Rights Policy and Humanitarian Aid, Günter Nooke, said "In the first instance we should try everything to improve the text of the final document," but also that "Germany should not lend itself to a conference that tries to one-sidedly incriminate Israel." On 16 April, Nooke stated at this point it was very unlikely that Germany would attend the Durban conference. On 19 April, U.N. spokesman Rupert Colville said Germany informed the global body that it would boycott the conference out of concern that it could be "abused as a platform for other interests."
• On 19 April, the Netherlands joined the boycott. "The conference against racism is too important to allow it to be abused for political purposes and attacks against the West," Dutch Foreign Minister Maxime Verhagen said in a statement. Verhagen said the draft for the conference represents a "wasted opportunity" to address human rights violations by countries and organizations involved in discrimination on sexual, religious and racial biases. "The conference places Israel as the only defendant," he stated. Verhagen also said it appeared that the intention of event was to vilify Israel and condemn Western countries for slavery and colonialism. "We want to seize all chances of combating racism and discrimination, but we are not lending ourselves to a propaganda circus. I will not participate in antisemitism."
• On 19 April, New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully announced that New Zealand will boycott the conference. McCully stated that his government is not satisfied the wording emerging from discussions held ahead of the conference will prevent it from becoming a repeat of the 2001 conference.
• On 20 April, Poland announced that it would boycott the conference. Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski stated that "We have reason to believe that the Conference will once again be exploited, as was the case in Durban in 2001, as a forum for unacceptable statements contrary to the spirit of respect for other races and religions."

  Boycott threats and limited participation

• In early November 2008, Per Stig Møller, Denmark's Foreign Minister, announced that Denmark will not attend the conference if a proposal to equate criticism of religion with racism is included on the agenda. However, Denmark did send an ambassador to the conference. Per Stig Møller has however declared, that if other countries follow in the Iranian path, Denmark shall walk out.
• On 16 March 2009, the European Union stated it would boycott the conference unless major changes were made to its declaration. Britain said it would not attend unless the draft showed a "change in direction."
• On 18 April, Swedish Integration Minister Nyamko Sabuni announced that her government would boycott the conference, sending no ministerial officials to the event, due to worry that it would be a repeat of the last conference on racism. She said that a ministerial presence would "legitimize undemocratic forces." However, a low-level delegation was sent instead.
• On 19 April, the United Kingdom announced that it will attend the conference. The delegation will be led by Peter Gooderham who is the British ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva. However, Britain's Foreign Minister also stated that Britain will "walk out" of the conference if "red lines" on language such relating to anti-Semitism, the Holocaust and Blasphemy are crossed.
• On 19 April, a source close to French President Nicolas Sarkozy's office told the Agence France-Presse that France would send a low level delegation to the conference. The source stated that "France will go to Geneva... in order to articulate its standpoint on human rights issues." However, Rama Yade, the Junior Minister for Human Rights, warned that France would "not tolerate any verbal slander" and that "Our position must be backed up by a verbal political offensive. So that people understand that this conference is not only a diplomatic victory but the continuation of a fierce battle for the victims of racism and discriminations. This message must be absolutely clear."
• The Czech Republic sent a low level delegation to the conference. However, following a speech by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad at the opening of the conference on 20 April, the country withdrew its entire delegation for the remainder of the conference.

  Reactions to boycotts

• On 17 March 2009, Yuri Boychenko, chairman of the group responsible for drafting the conference's declaration, issued a draft that omitted any reference to the Palestinian territories or to defamation of religion in hopes of preventing a widescale boycott by Western nations. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said all disputed points such as references to Israel, Zionism and the Middle East had been deleted from the declaration. She added that she was confident that all parties would approve the reworked statement and decide to attend the upcoming meeting in Geneva. In his opening address to the conference, Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon said, "some nations who by rights should be helping us to forge a path to a better future are not here. Outside these halls, interest groups of many political and ideological stripes shout against one another in acrimony."
• Pope Benedict XVI on 19 April 2009 hailed the U.N. anti-racism conference and urged countries to join forces to eliminate intolerance, but he made no reference to the boycotts of the meeting. He said he sincerely hoped that delegates who attend the conference work together, "with a spirit of dialogue and reciprocal acceptance, to put an end to every form of racism, discrimination and intolerance." He added that it would be "a fundamental step toward the affirmation of the universal value of the dignity of man and his rights."
• On 19 April, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad commented on the controversy surrounding the summit in a televised speech, implying that it was due to a Zionist plot. "It is clear that the Zionists and their backers will undertake everything possible so that the voices of those people suppressed will be silenced... Zionists control an important part of the politics in the U.S. and Europe and used this influence, especially in the media, to force their demands, which are nothing more than the plundering of nations, onto the world," he said.
• Most members of the European Union, including France and the United Kingdom, ultimately decided to attend the conference, although they sent low-level delegations and walked out of the conference during a speech by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad.
• On the opening day of the conference, Austrian Foreign Minister Michael Spindelegger, of the conservative People's Party, criticized European Union countries who boycotted the conference as representing "not a sign of strength" for the EU.
• The following day, France's Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner criticized the United States for boycotting the conference."It's paradoxicalthey don't want to listen to Iran in Geneva but they are ready to talk to them," Kouchner told French radio Europe 1. "More than a paradox, that could really be a mistake."

  Summary

• Members of the Human Rights Council:

• Members of the Human Rights Council that voted against/abstained from the conference:

• Nine countries boycotted the conference entirely:

• One nation broke off its attendance after the first day, joining the boycott:

• The conference's Bureau of the Preparatory Committee:

• Confirmed attendance :

Ahmadinejad's participation

Speech

Reactions to speech

• UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon expressed dismay at the incident, describing the words chosen by President Ahmadinejad as being those that are used "to accuse, divide and even incite". Ban stated that he had asked Ahmadinejad in advance not to focus on "divisiveness" in his address and that "It is deeply regrettable that my plea to look to the future of unity was not heeded by the Iranian president. This is the opposite of what this conference seeks to achieve. This makes it significantly more difficult to build constructive solutions to the very real problem of racism," Ban said in a statement following Ahmadinejad's speech." High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay condemned Ahmadinejad but objected to the walkout, saying "I condemn the use of a UN forum for political grandstanding. I find this totally objectionable... The best riposte for this type of event is to reply and correct, not to withdraw and boycott the conference." Pillay also described Ahmadinejad as "somebody who traditionally makes obnoxious statements."
• At a later press conference, Ahmadinejad criticized the countries which boycotted or walked out of the summit as "arrogant and selfish," and asked of the walkout, "Why is it that the so-called advocates of freedom of information fear hearing other people's opinions?"
• Speaking at a state ceremony marking Holocaust Remembrance Day, Israeli President Shimon Peres called Ahmadinejad's appearance at the conference "a deplorable disgrace," commenting on his speech "Nazism has been crushed, but anti-Semitism is still alive. The gas has evaporated, but the poison remains." In a letter to parliamentary counterparts abroad, Speaker of the Knesset Reuven Rivlin wrote "This time, Hitler has a beard and speaks Persian," and compared the conference to the 1936 Berlin Olympics, calling on legislators to take action against the Iranian president and not to ignore his anti-Israel pronouncements and threats.
• The Czech Republic's Foreign Ministry, which held the European Union's rotating presidency at the time, announced shortly after the speech that it was breaking off its attendance at the conference in protest. A statement issued by the ministry described as unacceptable Ahmadinejad's description of the Israeli government as racist, stating that Prague therefore did not wish to lend weight to his "anti-Israeli attacks" by remaining present at the conference.
• Foreign Minister of Norway Jonas Gahr Store, who addressed the conference after Ahmadinejad's statements, said "Norway will not accept that the odd man out hijacks the collective efforts of many," adding the statements "run counter to the very spirit of dignity of the conference."
• The presidency of the European Union said in a statement: "The European Union rejects in strongest terms views expressed by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad labelling Israel as racist regime."
• French officials described it as a "hate speech".
• Peter Gooderham, Britain's envoy to the U.N., stated that his nation "unreservedly condemns Iranian President Ahmadinejad's offensive and inflammatory comments. Such outrageous, anti-Semitic remarks should have no place in a U.N. anti-racism forum."
• Andrej Logar, the Slovenian ambassador, said Ahmadinejad's remarks were "detrimental to the dignity of this conference".
• The Vatican described Ahmadinejad's comments as "extremist and unacceptable".
• Russia's foreign ministry criticised Ahmadinejad's attack on Israel as "hard and lacking balance."
• The Chinese government called for the international community to end its criticisms and focus on the conference's goals. "We hope relevant parties can step up dialogue, eliminate disputes and concentrate on a consensus so as to combat racism with one voice," said Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu.
• Brazil's foreign ministry, in a statement, declared that: "Ahmadinejad trivialized the meaning of tragic and historically established events like the Holocaust" and "Such comments damage the climate for dialogue and the understanding necessary for international efforts to end discrimination". Brazil confirmed Ahmadinejad's visit to the country at 6 May, when these concerns would be expressed to him.
• Officials from the United States, which boycotted the conference, stated that Ahmadinejad's comments will "feed racial hatred." Alejandro Wolff, the U.S. deputy ambassador to the U.N., called Ahmadinejad's remarks "vile," "hateful" and "inciteful," and praised Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for condemning them.

  Other events and incidents

Alternative summits

Parallel summits

Statement by Libyan torture victim

Expulsions

Outcome document