Bashy Quraishy
Secretary General – European Muslim Initiative for Social Cohesion – Strasbourg
Thierry Valle
Coordination des Associations et des Particuliers pour la Liberté de Conscience
The International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, observed annually on 21 March, commemorates the Sharpeville Massacre in 1960, when police in Sharpeville opened fire on a peaceful protest against apartheid pass laws, killing 69 people. Established by the United Nations General Assembly to raise awareness and encourage global action against racism, the observance reflects broader international efforts that have led to important progress, including the dismantling of apartheid in South Africa and the strengthening of global commitments to equality and non-discrimination, principles also affirmed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
In 1979, the General Assembly further strengthened international efforts by launching a programme of activities during the Decade for Action to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination, encouraging Member States to organize a week of solidarity with peoples fighting racism beginning on 21 March each year.
Despite many achievements, racism continues to affect communities, politics, media, sport, and the digital environment across the world, with rising racist rhetoric, discrimination against migrants and minority groups, and persistent inequalities rooted in historical power imbalances.
The challenges posed by these problems are not new, neither are their solutions. What is needed is action – by governments, institutions, NGO groups, civil society and individuals – all of us.
Volker Türk, United Nations High Commissioner for human rights explained it very neatly; “Galvanising the power of collective action and a global consensus to address racism and racial discrimination is urgent for all of us. The unequivocal demands for change need to be heard and heeded in the halls of every Ministry, of every court, of every police station, in every country.”
The racist shift has moved beyond skin colour to cultural targeting and religious hatred
While racism in its most explicit, biologically grounded form has been widely condemned across Europe, a subtler and arguably more insidious variant has taken root. Today, racism often hides behind the language of culture, religion, and “values,” making it harder to name, confront, and dismantle.
Modern racism in the West increasingly avoids overt references to race. Instead, it manifests through the targeting of individuals and communities based on their cultural practices, religious beliefs, or visible expressions of identity—such as clothing. Whether it is suspicion toward Muslim women wearing the hijab, stereotypes about Roma communities, or hostility toward migrants maintaining linguistic and cultural traditions, the underlying logic remains unchanged: certain groups are framed as incompatible with “European values.”
This shift allows discriminatory attitudes to be reframed as concerns about integration, security, or social cohesion. Yet, when cultural or religious traits are used as proxies for exclusion, we are not witnessing a departure from racism, we are witnessing its evolution. It is, in essence, racism in a socially acceptable disguise.
Secularism vs. Identity: Europe’s delicate balance
At the heart of this issue lies a fundamental tension: the relationship between secularism and identity. European states, many of which pride themselves on strong secular traditions, face the challenge of ensuring neutrality in public institutions while respecting the diverse identities of their populations.
However, the line between safeguarding secularism and enforcing assimilation is often blurred. Policies that restrict religious symbols or practices in public spaces are frequently justified as neutral. In practice, they can disproportionately affect minority communities, particularly those whose identities are more visibly expressed.
The latest example of national politicians, media and academics colluding to target a particular religious group is the parliamentary election campaign after Danish PM Mrs. Frederiksen announced a snap national election to be held on March 24, 2026. Based on our research surrounding the election, Danish politicians across the political spectrum—including the ruling Social Democrats and the right-wing opposition parties started highlighting Islam and Muslim minorities as central campaign issues to address concerns regarding national security, the integration of foreign nationals, secular values and the preservation of the Danish welfare state.
Beyond just words – the gap between rhetoric and reality
Across Europe, political leaders are quick to condemn racism in principle. Yet for many individuals experiencing discrimination, these statements ring hollow. Legal frameworks often lag behind the lived realities of victims, failing to adequately address new and evolving forms of prejudice. Stronger protections are urgently needed, ones that recognize cultural and religious discrimination as integral components of modern racism. Drawing on international human rights standards, including those developed within the United Nations, European governments have both the tools and the obligation to act.
This means not only improving anti-discrimination laws, but also ensuring their enforcement. It requires investment in independent monitoring bodies, better data collection, and accessible mechanisms for victims to seek justice. Most importantly, it demands political will—moving beyond symbolic gestures toward tangible change.
The key question for Europe is not whether secularism should be protected, but how it
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