United Nations Radio

"I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bounded to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of brotherhood and sisterhood can never become a reality. I believe that unarmed truth will have the final word." The words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. from one of his many statements on racism.

This year the Universal Declaration on Human Rights will be 60 years old. As part of its efforts to educate the public on human rights issues in the lead up to the anniversary in December of this year, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights has been holding a series of monthly discussion on Human Rights.

The most recent one was held just before the fortieth anniversary of the death of Martin Luther King Jr. It was titled "What Would Martin Say" and looked at the state of race relations 40 years after the death of the civil rights activist.

The discussion centered on some of the history of racism and, more importantly, how it operates in today's world and its relationship to issues of power, war and security. But what is the connection to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the global struggle for an end to racism, racial discrimination xenophobia and related intolerance promoted by the UN?

For the answer listen to the views of several human rights defenders on the issue of racism and their responses to the question "What Would Martin Say?"

Producer: Gail Bindley-Taylor Sainte

(duration: 14'05")