[UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY COMMEMORATES 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF DURBAN DECLARATION – AGENDA AND KEY ATTENDEES]
The United Nations General Assembly will convene a high‑level meeting on Monday to observe the 25th anniversary of the Durban Declaration, one of the most comprehensive frameworks globally for combating racial discrimination and inequality.
The framework, though not legally binding on member states, was adopted during the 2001 World Conference Against Racism in Durban, South Africa. Spanning 153 pages, it addresses racism, xenophobia, and the oppression of Indigenous populations across the globe.
A political declaration is slated for adoption at the meeting, per UN sources.
What Issues Did the 2001 Durban Declaration Address?
The Durban Declaration and Programme of Action (DDPA) urges member states to implement measures aimed at eradicating multiple forms of oppression, including racism and gender‑based discrimination.
This landmark conference condemns historic injustices, noting that slavery and the trans‑Atlantic slave trade constitute crimes against humanity with linkages to contemporary poverty and disparity. Apartheid and genocide are identified as “sources and manifestations of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, and related intolerance.”
The document calls upon participants to condemn and work toward preventing the recurrence of such offenses.
Migration policy must refrain from being rooted in racism and intolerance when protecting migrants.
It further affirms the rights of Indigenous peoples.
“In response to growing global concern over Palestinian civilians under foreign occupation, Clause 63 recognizes “the inalienable right of the Palestinian people to self‑determination and to establish an independent state,” while also asserting “the right to security for all States in the region, including Israel.”
Although earlier drafts equated Zionism with racism—a position later removed amid opposition from Israel and its Western allies—Zionism denotes a Jewish nationalist movement seeking a Hebrew national home in Palestine.
Scholars and human‑rights organizations argue that Israeli policies toward Palestinians amount to apartheid, with Israel’s campaign in Gaza characterized by experts as genocide and underscored by a UN commission of inquiry.
The Durban Review Conference of 2009 assessed progress since 2001 and addressed emerging challenges; a follow‑up gathering occurred in 2011 to mark the tenth anniversary, renewing commitments to counteract racism.
Who Agreed to the Text and Who Opposed It?
The overwhelming majority of UN member states endorsed the 2001 declaration by consensus concluded at the close of the conference.
The United States and Israel withdrew from the summit, refusing to back the document because of its provisions concerning Israel and Palestine.
Clause 65, which acknowledges “the right of refugees to return voluntarily to their homes,” sparked particular controversy, given Israel’s refusal to permit Palestinian refugees displaced in 1948 and 1967 the same entitlement—more than 750,000 Palestinians were ethnically cleared prior to Israel’s creation in 1948, an event Palestinians frame as the Nakba or “catastrophe.”
What Is Expected at the 25th Anniversary Meeting?
The Monday memorial convenes to heighten awareness of the DDPA, foster dialogue among governments and communities, and “identify strategies for mobilising renewed political will,” according to the UN Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights. Organisers aim also to evaluate achievements since the declaration and confront ongoing and nascent challenges.
The event takes place at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City and will be streamed live via UN Web TV in multiple languages.
The central theme is “Mobilising Global Public Support for the Full and Effective Implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action.”
Among the agenda items is an interactive panel on “Youth Leadership,” examining how young individuals from marginalised racial and ethnic backgrounds shape public discourse, advance actions against racism, and galvanise support for enacting the DDPA.
Who Is Attending?
The opening plenary features statements by Khalilur Rahman, president of the 81st UN General Assembly; UN Secretary‑General Antonio Guterres; UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk; South Africa’s head of state or a representative; an NGO practitioner; and a youth advocate.
Member states, observing delegates, and assembly visitors will participate in the broader deliberations thereafter.
What Is the Proposed Outcome?
A draft political declaration scheduled for tabling reflects the messages of the original 2001 DDPA, the outcomes of the 2009 Durban Review Conference and subsequent decennial declarations. It restates that “equality and non‑discrimination are fundamental principles of international law” and expresses “deep concern” regarding rising issues of discrimination, systemic racism, and hate speech.
