Verbatim report of proceedings

Monday, 7 March 2022 - Strasbourg

Role of culture, education, media and sport in the fight against racism (debate)

  Monica Semedo, on behalf of the Renew Group. – Mr President, in my high school there were three black students out of more than 1 500. I was the first black TV host in Luxembourg, but not many were following, unfortunately. Once a boyfriend’s mother told me ‘many black people are criminals, but you are different’.

No, I am not different. I am not an exception. There are many like me, and they deserve to have a fair chance to succeed. We have to get rid of the racist stereotypes, deconstruct prejudices and represent the full diversity of our society at all levels. We need equal access and opportunities for all in culture, education, media and sports, because they play an important role in the fight against racism. They have the power to change minds and to drive social inclusion. That’s what we, as the European Parliament, want to achieve with this report.

Every child should be able to fulfil its potential. In the fields of culture and media, everyone should be able to identify themselves and to seek for role models and see them. Sports is a vector of equality and integration, and we must do our utmost to ban racism from it. It does not matter where one comes from, nor one’s colour of skin. Everybody has to have this chance to succeed. Everybody can contribute to our society, and we should do everything to ensure that they can. We need to be united in diversity.