Human Rights Council
56th session of the Human Rights Council
18 June to 12 July 2024
 
 
Statement delivered during the Interactive Dialogue withtheSpecial Rapporteur on racism
8 July 2024
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Mr.  President,
Albania welcomes the Special Rapporteur and congratulates her on her report and today's presentation.
 
We welcome your recommendations, particularly those on even greater investment in the acquisition and sharing of knowledge on measures to prevent and combat racism. On this point our country has focused on the prevention of diversity through education and continues to be convinced that Education, from a very young age, is the best method, not only of learning what is racism and negative effects that can cause in a society, but also the best way to prevent and combat it.
 
You call for firmness in the face of the increase in hate crimes and the rise in incitement to violence against minorities and ethnic, racial and religious groups around the world and you ask States to promote tolerance. You have all our support.
 
You have rightly highlighted your concern about a sharp increase in Islamophobic, anti-Semitic and other hate speech, both online and offline. We are concerned by this increase and we strongly condemn these manifestations of intolerance, discrimination and violence against people because of their religion or belief.
 
At the national level, we have managed to put in place vigorous policies to prevent and combat all forms and manifestations of racism, xenophobia and intolerance, by adopting, in 2020, appropriate legislation providing for criminal measures and creating national institutions to combat these phenomena.
 
In conclusion, Albania reiterates its strong commitment to protecting the principle that every human being should enjoy all human rights without discrimination of any kind.
 
Thank you.