The Special Committee on Apartheid met this morning in special session to mark the Internation Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. Members of the Commission on Human Rights had been invited to attend, as well as the Permanent Representatives of all Member States, and Representatives of the specialised agencies and regional organisations.
A view of the meeting which was held in the Trusteeship Council Chamber during statement being made by Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim. At the presiding table, from left: Olof Rydbeck (Sweden), Chairman of The Committee of Trustees of the UN Trust Fund for South Africa, addressing the meeting; Eugeniusz Kulaga (Poland), Chairman of the Commission on Human Rights; Dr. Waldheim; Abdulrahim Abby Farah (Somalia), Chairman of the Special Committee on Apartheid; Yakov A. Malik (Soviet Union), President of the Security Council; Leonid Kutakov, Under-Secretary-General for Political and Security Council Affairs; and Sayed Barakat, Ahmed (India), Rapporteur.

The Special Committee on Apartheid met this morning in special session to mark the Internation Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. Members of the Commission on Human Rights had been invited to attend, as well as the Permanent Representatives of all Member States, and Representatives of the specialised agencies and regional organisations.
Yakov A. Malik (Soviet Union), President of the Security Council, addressing the meeting. At the centre is Abdulrahim Abby Farah (Somalia). At left is Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim.

The UN Commission on Human Rigts held a special meeting in the Council Chamber of the Palais des Nations at Geneva to observe the International Day for the Ellimination of Racial Discrimination. In 1967, the General Assembly decided to commemorate this day which marks the anniversary of the tragic shootings at Sharpeville in the republic of South Africa where many peaceful demonstrators met with death. Present at the special meeting, together with the members of the Commission, where Mr. Vittorio Winspeare Guicciardi, Under-Secretary-General and Director-General of the UN Office at Geneva, Mr. F. Bradford Morse, Under-Secretary-General for Political and General Assembly Affairs, representatives of the specialized agencies, non-governmental organizations, Heads of Missions accredited to the Office of the UN at Geneva and representatives of the press. Statements were made by Mr. Radha Krishna Rampuhul (Mauritius), Chairman of the Human Rights Commission, Mr. F. Bradford Morse, and the Representatives of Bulgaria, Ecuador, India, Senegal and the United Kingdom.
A partial view of the special meeting.

The Security Council, in the final day of its meetings in Panama City, observed this morning the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. In 1966, the General Assembly proclaimed the International Day, and chose the date of 21 March to commemorate the incident at Sharpeville, South Africa, in 1960 when 69 peaceful African demonstrators against laws were shot and killed by the South African police. Statements marking the occasion were made by the Chairman of the Special Committe on Apartheid, Edwin Ogebe Ogbu (Nigeria); by Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim; by the President of the Council, Aquilino E. Boyd (Panama); and by the representatives of the Soviet-Union and Kenya.
Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim addressing the Council. Seated next to him are Joseph Odero-Jowi (foreground) of Kenya, and Aquilino E. Boyd (Panama), President of the Council.

The Special Committee against Apartheid held a Solemn Meeting on 21 March to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination and to launch the Week of Solidarity with peoples Struggling against Racism. Today also marked the twentieth annversary of the Sharpeville massacre, at which, in 1960, 69 demonstrators against the pass laws of the Apartheid system were shot and killed, and 180 others wounded, in Sharpeville, South Africa. The Committee heard statements by Secretary-general Kurt Waldheim and by representatives of African and UN groups including the Chairman of the Committee, B. Akporode Clark (Nigeria).
Ambassador Winston A. Tubman (Liberia), representative of the current Chairman of the Organization of African Unity (OUA), addressing the committee. At right is Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim.