On behalf of the President of the Federative Republic of Brazil, Fernando Henrique Cardoso, and in my capacity of Minister of Justice, I express my gratitude to the Government of the Kingdom of Sweden for the invitation to participate in the Stockholm International Forum on Conscience and Humanity. The theme of this conference - the combat of intolerance – is of utmost importance for the protection and promotion of human rights.

Brazil commends the initiative of Prime Minister Göran Persson to convene this meeting and is confident that the fruitful exchange of ideas and experiences between experts, government representatives, politicians and NGO’s will lead us into adopting an effective Plan of Action to combat xenophobia, racism and discrimination. The conclusions of this conference will constitute an important contribution to strengthening democracy, pluralism, and respect for diversity, which are essential for guaranteeing peaceful coexistence and stability within national societies and in the international community.
We have many challenges to face. The first challenge – which causes great concern to the international community – is the erosion of the respect for fundamental human rights and humanitarian norms, as evidenced in numerous cases of intimidation, exclusion and violence against migrant workers, asylum-seekers, indigenous people and minorities. As Hannah Arendt said, when human beings are perceived as “objective - enemies” and treated, de jure and de facto, as superfluous and expendable, there is fertile ground for the resurgence of situations that begin with exclusion and can escalate up to ethnic cleansing and genocide, as during the terror years of the
30s and 40s.

The international community must also face challenges related to the negative impact of globalization - transnational organized crime, trafficking in arms, in drugs, and of human beings, corruption and terrorism.

The new concept of “human security”, grounded in the principles of democracy and human rights – and integrated into the Inter- American dialogue through the Organization of the American States – places the human person as the main focus of international relations. It also represents a new paradigm for foreign policy, complementing the traditional notion of security among States.

The 1993 World Conference on Human Rights stated that democracy, development and respect for human rights are interdependent and mutually reinforcing. Despite the different ideological, political and religious perspectives within the United Nations, the Organization is succeeding in providing constructive and effective response to the need to strengthen the protection and promotion of human rights, as shown in the recent outcome of the efforts to create the International Criminal Court.

President Fernando Henrique Cardoso – who as a sociologist and intellectual showed a specific interest in the study of the Brazilian racial and cultural diversity – has, as a statesman, placed human rights as one of the highest priorities of his government. The National Program for Human Rights was adopted during his first mandate, in 1996, following the recommendation of the Vienna World Conference on Human Rights and is a clear proof of the commitment of the government, in partnership with civil society, to ensure the observance of human rights. The Program is being implemented and has achieved several of its goals. Much remains to be done, though.

The advancement of human rights is a continuous process that requires the evolution of mentalities and attitudes and the development of a culture for the respect for humanistic values. The Government and civil society have a shared responsibility in accomplishing this task.

President Cardoso has recently established a National Committee - composed by representatives of the government and civil society – to prepare the Brazilian participation in the “World Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance”, which will take place in South Africa later this year. The Committee is focusing its work in the identification of the causes and the creation of strategies to fight racism and intolerance.

This initiative is proof of the joint efforts of government and society to reaffirm their full adherence to tolerance and pluralism, as well as their permanent struggle against all forms of discrimination, exclusion and persecution based on race, ethnic origin, belief, religion or culture.

It could not be otherwise for a country that prides itself about the harmonic coexistence of the different races and cultural traditions that weave the tissue of its society. President Fernando Henrique Cardoso points out that pluralism favors both the advancement of democracy in the domestic sphere, as well as the overture to dialogue with the international community. Pluralism leads to tolerance, the capacity to compromise and the respect for difference.

President Cardoso acknowledges, however, that equitable social integration is a main national challenge.