Worldwide commemoration of the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination was observed today at the Palais des Nations in a ceremony led by Luigi Cottafavi, Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva. The observance marked the twentieth anniversary of the Sharpville Massacre in which unarmmed Africans were murdered while demonstrating against oppressive South African pass laws. Among those attending were representatives of non-governmental and intergovernmenetal organizations, including th eOrganization of African Unity (OAU), and of such liberation movements as the the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania (PAC) and the African National Congress (ANC).
Seated at the presiding table during the ceremony are, from left, Ansar Khan, Chief, Centre Anti-Apartheid; Daniel Konyella, Afro-Asian People's Solidarity Organization; El Hadji Malick Sy, Acting Executive Secretary of the Permanent Delegation of the Organization of African Unity at Geneva; Luigi Cottafavi, Director-General at the UN Office at Geneva; Ali Benbouchta, First Counselor of Morocco's UN Office at Geneva and Rapporteur of the 37th session of the Human Rights Commission; Sola Villa, Cuba's Permanent Representative to the UN at Geneva; and Pitika N'Tuli, Pan Africanist Congress of Azania.

A commemorative meeting being held on the International Day for Elimination of Racial Discrimination at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.
The speakers, from left to right are: Raul Espana-Smith, Permanent Representative of Bolivia to the United Nations Office at Geneva and Chairman, Latin American Group of countries; Saleh Jaber Al-hamed Al-Sabah, Permanent Representative of Kuwait to the United Nations Office at Geneva and Chairman, Asian Group of countries; Kenneth Dadzie, Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development and Representative of the Secretary-General; Peter Dietze, Permanent Representative of the German Democratic Republic to the United Nations Office at Geneva and Chairman, Eastern European Group of countries; G.H. Hewitt, Deputy Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom to the United Nations Office at Geneva.

The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination began its fourth session this morning by adopting its agenda and with a discussion on what would constitute a quorum during its subsequente meetings. An 18-member body of experts serving in their personal capacities, the Committee will examine reports form States Parties on their action in implementing the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination and draw up a report to the General Assembly. The Committee will also consider petitions, reports, and other information relating to matters of racial discrimination in dependent Territories, as transmitted to it by the Trusteeship Council and the Special Committee of 24 on decolonization, in accordance with the Convention.The agenda also includes an item considering co-operation with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Rajeswahr Dayal (India), Chairman, making a statement. At left is Kamleshwar Das, Representative of the Secretary-General. At right is Enayat Houshmand, Committee Secretary.

A meeting of the States Parties to the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination this morning elected by secret ballot nine members of the 18-member Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination to replace those whose terms expire on 19 January. Under article 8 of the Convention, which provides for the establishment of the Committee, the States Parties met for the first time in 1969 to elect 18 members, who serve as experts in their personal capacity. The Committee's task is to consider regular reports by the States Parties on implementation of provisions of the Convention, and to make suggestions and general recommendations to the General Assembly. It is also empowered to consider communications by one Party alleging that another is not giving effect to provisions of the Convention, and can appoint a Conciliation Commission to deal with such a matter. Additionally, it serves as an advisory body to UN organs concerned with Trust and Non-Self-Governing Territories. The Committee is to hold its fifth session at Headquarters from 14 to 25 February.
A partial view of the meeting. At the presiding table (left to right): Marc Schreiber, Director of the UN Division of Human Rights; Mohamed El-Zayyat (Egypt), Chairman of the Fifth Session, making a statement; and K. Das, Committee Secretary.

The Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination began consideration this morning of the action taken by the General Assembly, as its twenty-ninth session last year, on the Committee's annual report. The Committee, an 18-member body composed of experts serving in their personal capacity, began a three-week session yesterday. Also this morning the Committee agreed on the organization of its work and approved a schedule for the consideration of reports from States Parties to the International Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.
Mahmoud Aboul-Nasr, expert form Egypt (centre), making a statement.