Malta commemorates International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination with ‘human chain’

More legislation against discrimination in the pipeline

On the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, SOS Malta together with other local NGOs and members of the public, grouped together to form a ‘human chain’ around the Triton Fountain in Valletta.

The event was aimed to call on all passers-by to take action in tackling racial discrimination in Malta as there can never be enough diversity.

Minister for European Affairs and Equality Helena Dalli joined the ‘human chain’ together with the Director of the Human Rights and Integration Directorate Silvan Agius to make a stand against discrimination.

This year’s theme was ‘promoting tolerance, inclusion, unity and respect for diversity in the context of combating racial discrimination’.

This, the ministry said, ties in with its commitment to fight against racism and xenophobia and to promote equality across government and the rest of society.

Although Malta presently has a legal framework prohibiting hate speech, hate crime and all forms of discrimination, this year, the Ministry for European Affairs and Equality will be tabling legislation to strengthen the existing provisions against discrimination.

This proposed legislation shall also promote equality systematically through the introduction of an equality duty on government employers and service providers.

This ‘human chain’ was organised as part of the URGENT project, which is EU funded as part of the Europe for Citizens Programme, which among other objectives seeks to create spaces for dialogue among citizens and to foster active citizenship.

With this activity, Malta joined 48 other European countries in highlighting European Action Week against Racism, which calls on all European citizens to focus on what we have in common rather than what separates us.