UNITED for Intercultural Action is the biggest European network against nationalism, racism, fascism and in support of migrants and refugees, in which over 560 organisations from 46 European countries cooperate. UNITED was founded in 1992 (officially registered as charitable organisation under Dutch law in 1993) and wants to provide a forum for active solidarity and cooperation between European organisations and their activists – special emphasis is put on supporting cooperation with NGOs and activists in Eastern Europe.
UNITED defines itself as pan-European tool to strengthen and cross-link grassroots organisations and their actions to improve their socio-political impact. The idea of the UNITED network was born by participants of two anti-racist European youth seminars in Strasbourg in 1992. At these occasions, the need for a European-wide info- and networking system was expressed against the background of the most violent and massive xenophobic riots that took place in Germany after the Second World War: the riot of Rostock-Lichtenhagen August 22–24, 1992.
The work of UNITED mainly focuses on the coordination of European-wide awareness-raising campaigns, organisation of international conferences and the maintenance of an info-system and network structure. UNITED coordinates following annual campaigns:
- Action Week Against Racism
- International Refugee Day
- International Day Against Fascism and Antisemitism
UNITED is member of the Advisory Council on Youth of the Council of Europe and has since 1997 special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations.
Read more about UNITED For Intercultural Action: Fatal Realities of Fortress Europe, I CARE – Internet Centre Anti Racism Europe
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“I have ever deemed it fundamental for the United States never to take active part in the quarrels of Europe. Their political interests are entirely distinct from ours. Their mutual jealousies, their balance of power, their complicated alliances, their forms and principles of government, are all foreign to us. They are nations of eternal war.”
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