The aim of this Europe wide campaign is to encourage young people to participate in building societies based on diversity and inclusion, in a spirit of respect, tolerance, and mutual understanding. There are links with the 1995 campaign against racism, anti-semitism, xenophobia and intolerance; to this end, the slogan selected for the Campaign is that of the previous initiative: "All Different, All Equal".
The partners in organising this campaign are the Council of Europe, mainly the Directorate of Youth and Sport (DYS), the European Youth Forum, and the European Commission. Its activities are being undertaken essentially by young people in partnership with public authorities; the target group of the Campaign is civil society, both at European and national levels. However, the campaign should of course reach out to as many young people in Europe as possible, with a particular focus on those who are victims of discrimination, and in particular through activities involving schools.
This new campaign is aimed to have a wider focus than previous European campaigns on discrimination. It targets not only racial and ethnic intolerance but also discrimination on the basis of someone's beliefs, sexual orientation or ability.
Shortly before the launch of "All Different - All Equal", Terry Davis, Secretary General of the Council of Europe, made a short video outlining the reasons for the campaign, and its aims. At the launch, on 29 June 2006 he said:
"...The youth campaign of 10 years ago condemned discrimination based on ethnic origin and the colour of someone’s skin. This new campaign will have a wider focus. It will target not only racial and ethnic intolerance but also discrimination on the basis of someone’s beliefs, someone’s sexual orientation or someone’s level of physical or mental ability. This wider approach does not mean that racism is no longer a concern. On the contrary: as we know from the reports of the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance, racism has not vanished from European societies.
"But with our new campaign, we want to denounce all kinds of discrimination - even those very subtle forms which diminish the daily lives of people who are different in some way. Unlike 1995, this is not a campaign "against" but a campaign "for", a campaign to bring our core values - diversity, human rights and participation - closer to the people of Europe.
"These three simple words carry three simple messages:
1) diversity is not only the stuff of life, it is what makes life exciting and challenging
2) human rights are not inborn, they need to be learnt in schools and through youth activities
3) democracy will not live on if the younger generations shy away from public life.
The Youth Campaign will encourage young people to take action against abuses of human rights - to act now, in their towns, through their organisations, through the Internet. ..."
On 13 September 2006 a Report on Social Exclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) young people was presented to the European Parliament.
Members of the European Parliament (MEP) taking part agreed to draw up a declaration to stop homophobic behaviour in schools. MEPs from the Intergroup on Gay and Lesbian Rights committed to take a lead on this initiative.
The launch of ILGA-Europe's and IGLYO's joint publication on social exclusion of LGBT young people led to concrete promises coming from the European Parliament.
All Different - All Equal cartoon
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