The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination opening its twenty-ninth session, this mornning elected Luis Valencia Rodrigues, expert from Equador, to a two-year term as Chairman. The Committee also adopted an agenda and heard a statement made on behalf of the UN Secretary-General by William B. Buffum, Under-Secretary- General for Political and General Assembly Affairs.
Luis Valencia Rodrigues (Equador), third form left, speaking at the meeting upon his election as Chairman by acclamation. Seen with him at the presiding table are, form left, Enayat Houshmand, Chief, International Instruments Unit, Centre for Human Rights; Under-Secretary-general William B. Buffum; and José Gomez del Prado, Committee Secretary.

The Human Rights Committee on the morning of 11 July approved its agenda and programme of work at it began its thirty-third session in Geneva. The session was opened by Julio Prado Vallejo (Ecuador) who was elected Committee Chairman at its spring session of 1987.
A partial view of today's meeting.

Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim, today declared open the World Conference to Combat Racism and Racial Dicrimination in Geneva. The Conference is scheduled to conclude on 25 August. In his address to the delegates the Secretary-General stated, "It is my hope that the Connferece will mark a decisive turning point in the International struggle against all forms of racial prejudice, inequality and injustice". Mr. Looki V. Molapo, Minister of Commerce and Industry of Lesotho, was elected President of the World Conference.
Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim (second from left) congratulating Mooki V. Molapo upon the latter's election as President of the World Conference.
At the presiding table during today's meeting are (left to right) Luigi Cottafavi , Director-General of UN Office at Geneva; Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim; Mooki V. Nolapo, President; C.V. Narasingham, Secretay-General of Conference; and T. van Boven, Director of Division of Human Rights.

The Second World Conference to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination opened here this afternoon at the Palais des Nations, electing as its president, Hector Charry Samper, Colombia's Permanent Representative to the UN Office at Geneva. UN Secretary-General Javier Perez de Cuellar inaugurated the Conference which also heard opening remarks from UN Genral Assembly President Imre Hollai (Hungary) and the Conference Secretary-General James O. Jonah.
A general view of the opening meeting.

The Second World Conference to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination opened here this afternoon at the Palais des Nations, electing as its president, Hector Charry Samper, Colombia's Permanent Representative to the UN Office at Geneva. UN Secretary-General Javier Perez de Cuellar inaugurated the Conference which also heard opening remarks from UN Genral Assembly President Imre Hollai (Hungary) and the Conference Secretary-General James O. Jonah.
Seen at the presiding table during the meeting are, form left, Erik Suy, Director-General, UN Office at Geneva; James O. Jonan; Imre Hollai (Hungary); Javier Perez de Cuellar; Hector Charry Samper (Colombia); and E. Palmer, Chief, Racial Discrimination Task Force, Centre for Human Rights, who is Conference Secretary.