The Keep Them in Birmingham Report 10th Anniversary Conference.

The Reality of Rural Racism - The reports, the responses and moving towards a new agenda for effective anti-racist action.

Date: Tuesday 16th July 2002 : 10.15am - 4.30pm
Venue: St George’s Hall, Market Street, Exeter

The Keep Them in Birmingham report was published in June 1992, following unprecedented research undertaken by Eric Jay on behalf of the Commission for Racial Equality (CRE).

For the first time in the history of race relations in the UK the issue of rural racism was being highlighted. In this seminal research report, Eric Jay set the context for tackling racism in rural areas by exposing the true nature of racial hostility and discrimination experienced by black and minority ethnic people in the South West. This groundbreaking report also uncovered the extent of complacency and indifference prevalent within the statutory, voluntary and private sectors and within the community in general.

Ten years on and despite the publication of other similar research, the ‘Rural White Paper’, new crime and disorder legislation, the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry and the Macpherson Report, and the Race Relations Amendment Act, an entrenched 'no problem here' mentality appears to expose black and minority ethnic people living in rural areas to continued racism. The repeat failure to recognise the day-to-day experiences of black and minority ethnic people living in rural communities and a prevailing regional myth that racism is an ‘urban’ problem still represent the biggest obstacles to achieving social inclusion and racial equality.

This conference aims to highlight a range of responses to tackling rural racism over the past ten years, highlight the current issues, focus on the work that still needs to be done and identify some practical multi-agency strategies to develop an effective and sustainable anti-racist action agenda for the South West region and beyond.

The conference, including lunch and an information pack, is free to all participants. This event is aimed at all statutory, voluntary and private sector organisations and partnerships, as well as representatives or members of the diverse range of black and minority ethnic communities that are present within the South West and other individuals committed to tackling racism.

Speakers

Pamela Woods ~ Chair
Regional Manager, National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux (NACAB West). Pamela was a key figure in establishing the Rural Race Equality Project

Eric Jay:
Former senior Community Relations Officer for the London Borough of Camden and Director of Greater London Action for Race Equality. Author of the 1992 CRE report : Keep Them in Birmingham – Challenging Racism in South West England

Philomena de Lima:
One of the UK’s leading researchers who has carried out extensive work on racism in rural areas. Philomena is the author of a number of key published reports including,
Rural disadvantage – black and ethnic minorities in rural areas and Needs Not Numbers - An exploration of minority ethnic communities in Scotland

Nigel Costley ~ Regional Secretary South West TUC
The trades union movement has a positive record of vigorous opposition to racism in the workplace and beyond. South West TUC continues to play a key role in the region and is part of a broad coalition of organisations working to combat racism at all levels.
www.tuc.org.uk

(tbc) Muhammad Ali ~ Regional Director, CEMVO South West
The Council of Ethnic Minority Voluntary Organisations (CEMVO) is an umbrella organisation with the specific aim of helping and enabling ethnic minority voluntary organisations to become more focused, targeted and effective in the delivery of services.
www.emf-cemvo.org.uk

Suresh Grover ~ The Monitoring Group (TMG)
TMG is a leading anti-racist casework agency which has helped thousands of individuals and families. The TMG Emergency Service is currently the only national 24-hour freephone help-line and volunteer service for victims of racial attacks and harassment.
www.monitoring-group.co.uk

Dharmendra Kanani ~ Head of the CRE Scotland
The Commission for Racial Equality (CRE) is a publicly funded, non-governmental body set up under the Race Relations Act 1976 to tackle racial discrimination and promote racial equality.
www.cre.gov.uk

David Harker ~ Chief Executive, NACAB
The Citizens Advice Bureau Service offers free, confidential, impartial and independent advice to over five million people each year, as well as an ‘on-line’ information service which is currently being translated into a number of minority ethnic languages.
www.nacab.org.uk
www.adviceguide.org.uk
www.oneworld.org/rrep

For further information, programme and booking form please contact:
Rural Race Equality Project at
 rrep@nacab.org.uk
www.oneworld.org/rrep