A/64/271 B. 1. Press releases International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination 21. On the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, on 21 March 2009, the Special Rapporteur released a press statement calling for full engagement in the Durban Review Process. 22. He reaffirmed the continued relevance of the fight against all forms of racism and stated that displays of intolerance abounded, from small gestures in interpersonal relations to large-scale violence targeting people of different skin colour or ethnicity. In times of global financial crisis, the Special Rapporteur warned against intolerance, which tended to become even more pronounced, fostering racial, ethnic and xenophobic tensions. 23. The Special Rapporteur emphasized that the time was ripe for a renewed international engagement against racism and that the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action remained the most comprehensive framework of international, regional and national actions needed to counter racism. A successful Review Conference would empower all stakeholders across the world, providing them with additional tools to be employed in their daily fight against racism. He therefore called upon States as well as civil society organizations to participate constructively in the negotiations leading to the Review Conference in April 2009 and to devise consensual solutions that could make a positive impact on people’s lives. 2. Situation of Roma in Europe 24. On 20 November 2008, a press statement was released jointly with the United Nations Independent Expert on minority issues in order to express their grave concern over the recent rise in anti-Roma sentiment and violent incidents in several European countries. The two experts underlined that effective action was required to stem the growing tide of hostility, anti-Roma sentiment and violence across Europe. In this regard, they referred to the necessity to fully use the criminal justice system in order to protect targeted populations. Both experts also stressed that such actions revealed serious and deep-rooted problems of racism and discrimination against Roma at the heart of modern Europe, and had to be addressed in the most vigorous manner and through the rule of law. They recalled that Governments must strongly condemn such actions. Moreover they must be committed to finding ways to create safe environments for all by carefully monitoring and strengthening their own anti-racism activities, through leadership and public education, by swiftly denouncing hate speech and prosecuting the racist and violent actions of others in society. 25. Furthermore, the two mandate holders expressed the view that the policies and actions of numerous States had been, at best, inadequate to resolve intolerable conditions of poverty, marginalization and exclusion experienced by the Roma minority in Europe. Policies such as finger-printing of Roma, abuse by police, and racist statements by senior public officials had contributed to creating a climate in which societal discrimination and racism were sustained and enhanced. The growing number of such incidents required both a national and Europe-wide response and the experts stressed the need for the European Union to send a strong message, which must be acted upon by Member States. International law, European directives and national policies must be strongly enforced by national Governments and at the 09-45097 7