Within our community the South Belfast Roundtable on Racism is committed to:

challenging racism and racist practices

creating an atmosphere where racism is not tolerated

seeking to ensure that anybody can feel safe whatever his or her ethnic origin.

This statement commits participants/participating organisations to take action to:

eliminate racial discrimination

promote equality of opportunity

support the development of good race relations.

The South Belfast Round Table on Racism will underpin and sustain this commitment by:

organising awareness campaigns, public meetings and conferences

using appropriate visual images in publications

working in partnership with other organisations to promote the principles of anti-racism.

The South Belfast Roundtable on Racism endorses the vision and strategic aims of “A Racial Equality Strategy for Northern Ireland: 2005-2010”. Participants/participating organisations in the Roundtable will work towards the achievement of the vision and strategic aims ( click Adobe Reader symbol to download “A Racial Equality Strategy for Northern Ireland: 2005-2010”; see also below).

Working independently and in partnership, participants/participating organisations will act

to tackle racial inequalities and to open up opportunity for all

to eradicate racism and hate crime

to initiate actions to promote good race relations.”

A society in which racial diversity is supported, understood, valued and respected, where racism in any of its forms is not tolerated and where we live together as a society and enjoy equality of opportunity and equal protection.

ELIMINATION OF RACIAL INEQUALITY

To eliminate racism, racial inequality and unlawful racial discrimination and promote equality of opportunity in all aspects of life, including public life, for people of different ethnic backgrounds in Northern Ireland.

EQUAL PROTECTION

To combat racism and provide effective protection and redress against racism and racial crime.

EQUALITY OF SERVICE PROVISION

To ensure equality of opportunity for minority ethnic people in accessing, and benefiting from, all public services.

PARTICIPATION

To increase participation and a sense of ‘belonging’ of people from minority ethnic backgrounds in public, political, economic, social and cultural life.

DIALOGUE

To promote dialogue between, and mutual understanding of, different faiths and cultural backgrounds, both long standing within Northern Ireland and recent arrivals to these shores, guided by overarching human rights norms.

CAPACITY BUILDING

To build capacity within minority ethnic communities to develop a vibrant and sustainable minority ethnic sector at both local and regional level and to help minority ethnic people to fulfil the Government’s aim of a shared future for Northern Ireland.