Local actions against racism on the occasion of 21 March 2023 in ECCAR cities - a selection
We are pleased to highlight some of our member cities' initiatives and actions on the occasion of 21 March. Many of our members have worked closely with local NGOs and stakeholders to put together inspiring and creative programmes that invite people to engage with the topic of racism on a local level. Below you find a selection of meaningful actions of our member cities:
Nantes
Please find by clicking here the city's web page presenting the Weeks of Education Against Racism and all forms of discrimination, coordinated by the Ligue de l'enseignement - FAL 44 with the support of the city of Nantes. The city has been supporting the Ligue de l'enseignement in organising the Weeks of Education Against Racism and all forms of Discrimination for 14 years now. In the meantime it has developed into a whole month of events that brings together more than 80 actions and a network of actors to set up awareness-raising and solidarity actions in the service of everyday equality and respect for rights. In addition, on 21 March, the city is renewing a public communication campaign on the AlloNantes Discriminations scheme, as it does at other times of the year.
Nancy
As part of the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, Mathieu Klein (Mayor of Nancy, President of the Metropole of Greater Nancy), Patricia Daguerre-Jacque (Deputy Mayor responsible for gender equality, the fight against discrimination and human rights and ECCAR vice president), Bora Yilmaz (Deputy Mayor responsible for services to residents and life in the neighbourhoods), invite to a theatre play “Conférence gesticulée et théâtralisée : la rhétorique de la haine” at Nancy’s City Hall. The event will address hate speech, the collective belief transforming a minority into a "problem" and the reflection on a historian's profession in an ironic way to encourage the audience to reflect and question themselves. The event will be followed by a discussion. Please find more information here.
Terrassa
On the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination against Racism the city of Terrassa will illuminate the façade of its City Hall and the Monument of the Working Woman in red. Further, the Citizenship Service of Terrassa City Council, in collaboration with Barcelona Provincial Council and the European Coalition of Cities Against Racism, has also organised a series of activities between 9 and 27 March.
Dresden
In Dresden, the International Weeks Against Racism will take place from 20 March to 6 April. On 6 April, the city will commemorate Jorge Joao Gomondai, one of the first victims of racist violence after the "Wende". The city has also put together a very diverse programme that includes various exhibitions and readings, including an author talk.
Gothenburg
On the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination against Racism the city of Gothenburg will arrange an event that pays special attention to the phenomenon of minority stress. The evening will offer speeches from local political representatives within Gothenburg’s membership in ECCAR, lectures on minority stress, panel discussions, music and poetry. You can find all the information about the event here.
Villeurbanne
For the International Day for the Elimination against Racism, the City of Villeurbanne's Inclusive City and Anti-Discrimination Mission is organising an evening "conference reading" of the book "Les mots qui fâchent" published in 2022 with Françoise Lorcerie, political scientist at the University of Aix-Marseille, CNRS, and Haoues Seniguer, political scientist, lecturer at Sciences Po Lyon, Triangle Laboratory, CNRS, ENS Lyon. Several articles of the book will be presented for collective reading using the “méthode de l’arpentage”. The researchers will present their contribution to the book before a time for exchange. Please find more information here.
Lausanne
As part of the International Weeks against Racism, the city of Lausanne has put together an ambitious programme of events, including round tables, workshops, theatre performances and other activities. The week of actions is entitled "Lausanne is my home" and is the 17th edition which should remind us all citizens of Lausanne that they belong to the city regardless of their origins, skin colour, religion or gender. Please find the programme here.
Neuchâtel
The 28th Action Week against Racism of the city of Neuchâtel is organised from 18 March to 5 April by the Forum “tous différents tous égaux” and the “service de la cohésion multiculturelle” (COSM) of the Department of Employment and Social Cohesion (DECS) of Neuchâtel, in partnership with more than sixty associations and institutions. The Action Week offers a rich programme of events throughout the canton, examining the canton's intercultural integration policy from the perspective of the need for equality and the challenges faced by an increasingly diverse population.
Stralsund
As part of the International Weeks against Racism, the city of Stralsund is setting an example for tolerance, openness and respect and against any form of exclusion, thus showing that the welcoming Hanseatic city does not want to offer any space for xenophobia and violence!I As part of the action weeks, there will be interesting actions and events by five different actors. Among them are: DaMigra e.V., umbrella organisation of migrant women's organisations in cooperation with the House of Resources Greifswald, Kreisdiakonisches Werk Stralsund e.V.: Frank Brückner / Outreach Youth Social Work Stralsund, migrant women's organisation Tutmonde e.V. and the prevention advisor from the Stralsund police department. You can find further information here.
