Jetten: 1.6 million in the Netherlands feel treated unequally
Opening the fifth UNESCO world summit on racism and discrimination in The Hague, the prime minister said much work remains in the Netherlands, with King Willem-Alexander attending.
Prime Minister Rob Jetten said there is still work to be done against racism and discrimination in the Netherlands. He spoke in his opening speech at the fifth UNESCO world summit on the subject in The Hague, held on 29 and 30 October.
Jetten said 1.6 million people in the Netherlands feel treated unequally, at work, in hospital, house-hunting, at the sports club or at school. He called it "a sobering number" and said he feels a special responsibility to act.
The prime minister also said human rights are under pressure worldwide. He pointed to institutions set up to protect people that are under strain, and to the rise of extremist groups.
King Willem-Alexander attended the opening and listened to speeches. Baldewsingh welcomed him, saying: "Your presence here today gives special meaning to our gathering and to our shared commitment to equality and human dignity."
The King then spoke with, among others, US professor Kimberlé Crenshaw and Suriname's vice president Gregory Rusland. He referred to his state visit to Suriname last year, which he described as emotional. He also spoke with researchers about two UNESCO publications on racism and discrimination, and took them home to read. With Dutch representatives he discussed how the Netherlands can do better, including the role of art and culture.
Earlier editions of the summit were held in Barcelona, São Paulo, Mexico City and Paris.
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UNESCO (Verenigde Naties voor Onderwijs, Wetenschap en Cultuur)
UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, is a specialised UN agency that promotes international cooperation in education, science, culture, and communication. It runs programmes such as the World Heritage list, which names cultural and natural sites of outstanding value, and it works on human rights and anti-discrimination in its fields. The Netherlands is one of its member states, so Dutch government bodies and civil society often work with it.