Call to STOP RACISM NOW after spike in incidents

The most common type of racism experienced (35 per cent) was in the form of racial slurs/name calling and it was Asian, Muslim, Indigenous, and Jewish cultures who bear the brunt of prejudices and racial slurs.
Launched by NSW Governor Margaret Beazley, the STOP RACISM NOW campaign will offer practical solutions that allow the bystander to feel that they can help solve the problem.
It is being driven by Moving Forward Together Association, a not-for-profit organisation committed to creating a better understanding amongst all sectors of the community for a vision of living in harmony.
Moving Forward Together Association President, Ernie Friedlander OAM, says the organisation aims to create a decent society that caters to all people regardless of colour, origin, culture, or religion.
“As an 85-year-old Holocaust survivor I have experienced the worst of racism, having had most of my family murdered in the Shoah. This experience has driven my passion to create a better future for younger generations,” he said.
“We want the STOP RACISM NOW campaign to not only raise awareness of racism and how it is harming our community, but to also provide practical solutions that will empower organisations and individuals to become Ambassadors. We will allow the bystander to feel that they can help solve the problem by answering the question: ‘So what can I do?’.
“This is where our campaign is different from any other anti-racism programs that have been run in Australia.
“We are not naïve to the fact that this is no simple task, but with the exceptional support that we have already garnered from the community we know we can change behaviour,” he said.
The STOP RACISM NOW campaign will focus initial efforts on secondary and tertiary students.
The campaign will:
• Deliver a powerful social media campaign targeting high school and university students.
• Share interactive videos that teach key strategies empowering the audience to stand up against racism.
• Execute a schools’ program that includes Harmony Day Poster & Song Writing competitions, “The Without Prejudice – Towards a Harmonious Society “teacher’s handbook, and community wide Harmony Walks.
• Work with major sporting organisations such as the AFL, NRL, and Cricket Australia to use role models from these organisations in the campaign and help disseminate our message.
The campaign website, stopracismnow.com.au, provides information on how to STOP RACISM NOW.
“We need to look beyond the narrow. We are all Australians. Let’s move forward together and treat all people with respect and dignity, regardless of colour, race, religion, gender, or nationality,” Mr Friedlander said.
Moving Forward Together Association runs a series of community wide programs that establish a platform for communicating the positive benefits of harmony, humanity, unity and cooperation, and minimising parochialism.
The learn more or to get involved, visit movingforwardtogether.org.au