World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance
	Durban, South Africa 31 August – 7 September 2001	Office of the Spokeswoman

 

NOTE TO CORRESPONDENTS

FLAG RAISING AND TREE PLANTING CEREMONY

(Durban, 29 August 2001). The flags of the United Nations and South Africa will be raised simultaneously on Wednesday 29 August at 11:00 am in a ceremony marking the hand-over of the site of the World Conference against Racism to the United Nations. The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and Secretary-General of the World Conference against Racism, Mrs. Mary Robinson, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of South Africa, Mrs. Nkosazana C. Dlamini-Zuma, and the South African Minister for Water Affairs and Forestry, Mr. Ronald Kasrils, will participate in this event. It will take place at the flagpoles at the main entrance to the International Convention Centre, the site of the Durban World Conference.

Following the flag raising, the High Commissioner and the South African Foreign Minister will jointly plant a tree in celebration of both the World Conference and Arbor Week, which is being observed in South Africa this week. A commemorative plaque will be affixed to the tree.

For more information contact the Office of the Spokeswoman for the World Conference at + 27 (0) 31 327 3952 or check the World Conference website at www.un.org/WCAR/coverage.htm or www.unhchr.ch .