Appendix II
Declaration of the European Youth Organisations
done at the Council of Europe Summit in Vienna, 8-9 October
1993
Council of European National Youth Committees
- CENYC
European Co-ordination Bureau of International Youth Organisations
-ECB
Austrian Federal Youth Council - ÖBJR
Youth Declaration
We, the youth organisations present
at this event welcome the Heads of State and Governments
meeting and take this opportunity to make the following
declaration:
1. We believe that discussions about racism
and xenophobia must be held in a broad economic and social
context and include wider issues such as marginalisation
and social exclusion. As youth organisations we welcome
the enrichment of our society by people from diverse cultural
backgrounds, and recognise the positive impact that migrant
communities have in our countries in economic, demographic,
social and cultural fields.
2. When considering European policies towards
refugees and the formulation of immigration policies, we
must look at the global refugee situation and note that
only 3 % of the world's total refugee population enter Europe.
3. We believe that a distinction must be
drawn between the recent upsurge in racist violence, and
the everyday discrimination faced by migrant communities
and that any proposed action must cover both these areas.
4. Any consideration of the issue must
also take into account the economic inequalities between
the countries of the North and South, and the political
instabilities which exist in much of the world.
5. Strategies to combat racism and xenophobia
should not include discussions about closing down frontiers
or restrictions to the right of asylum, which only serve
to reinforce racist tendencies. We must not make scapegoats
of existing migrant populations who are often already marginalised
in Europe.
6. The fight against racism cannot be considered
separately from the more general fight against exclusion.
Xenophobia is a consequence of insecurity in the face of
on going economic and social difficulties. As long as a
part of the population feels excluded and marginalised we
cannot expect it to see and judge foreigners without prejudice
or bitterness.
7. We welcome the idea of a European plan
of action against racism, xenophobia, antisemitism and intolerance
and as youth organisations we look forward to playing a
key role in encouraging active and full participation of
all young people in our societies. We believe that such
an action plan must include all organisations currently
involved in combating racism, xenophobia and intolerance,
and must aim to reach as many people as possible. We must
also build upon past experience and current initiatives
in this area.
8. To combat racism means to develop social
policies helping the weakest sections of the community;
and also to institute coherent urban policies aimed at,
amongst other things, involving young people at the professional,
school, local area or family level.
9. We believe in a Europe open to the world,
a Europe based on the respect for human rights, democracy,
on the full participation of everyone in society. We declare
that racism, antisemitism, xenophobia and intolerance are
not acceptable because these phenomena endanger the essential
fabric of our societies. That is the reason why we will
do our utmost to combat them.
The declaration of Vienna is generous and
humanistic in its principles, but the proposals outlined
must be fully implemented if they are to be effective.
We, the youth organisations present, earnestly
request the Heads of States and the Governments attending
the Summit to take the following elements into consideration:
A. At a political level:
We expect our political leaders:
• to be courageous enough to condemn
racism, xenophobia, antisemitism and intolerance as wholly
unacceptable to a free and democratic society;
• to condemn the implicit or explicit
use of race issues by political parties for electoral purposes;
• to construct urban policies which
facilitate young people's insertion into professional life
by providing opportunities at a local level which enable
all young people to participate fully in their societies;
• to implement and develop integrated
youth policies, through an increased support to both local,
regional, national and European youth organisations which
are an essential basis for a stable society;
• to encourage youth mobility which
promotes intercultural understanding. This implies the abolition
of visa restrictions and the support of present programmes
favouring youth mobility (e.g. the Inter-Rail card).
B. At a legislative level:
• to create where necessary, a legislative
apparatus condemning racist acts as well as the diffusion
of racist, xenophobic or anti-semitic propaganda;
• to publicise and fully implement
such legislation;
• to introduce a system of compensation
for the victims of racist acts;
• to set up independent legal bodies
to deal with racist acts;
• to guarantee the right to asylum
for refugees;
• to facilitate applications and
granting of citizenship or dual citizenship where appropriate;
• to find suitable ways to eliminate
restrictions of youth mobility through visa requirements;
• to ensure the political integration
of foreigners, particularly at the local level, by granting
full electoral and political rights to all foreigners legally
resident;
• to fulfil their obligations as
agreed under the European Human Rights Convention with regard
to refugees and asylum seekers;
• to ensure that racist issues do
not influence the debate on immigration policies.
C. At an educational level:
While recognizing that legislative action
is essential in the fight against racism, it is important
that national governments implement a real multi- and intercultural
educational system at all levels (primary, secondary and
university). It is at school that one learns to live with
others, it is therefore at school that, from childhood,
the respect of different cultures, tolerance and the will
to live together should be taught and experienced.
Practical ways of achieving this should
include:
• an approach aimed at favouring
intercultural experiences within educational systems;
• the development of educational
programmes (e.g. history, living languages) that aim at
the respect for different cultures rather than fostering
an excessive national self-esteem;
• the development and improvement
of the learning of foreign languages, including the languages
of migrant populations, not only for migrants but also for
people in host countries;
• the establishment of international
school exchange programmes and study visits as a full part
of school and university curricula.
The training work already carried out in
the youth area within the framework of the Council of Europe,
the creation of second European youth centre, the setting
up of the research unit, are crucial elements in implementing
the plan of action against racism, xenophobia, antisemitism
and intolerance.
It is only by swift adoption of these measures
that it will be possible to quell the racist, xenophobic
and antisemitic propaganda we are currently experiencing.
If not, we should bear in mind the terrible
sentence of Bertolt Brecht: "The belly is still
fertile that gave birth to the vile beast."
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