The document summarizes the "For Diversity. Against Discrimination" information campaign by the European Commission that aims to inform EU citizens about their rights against discrimination. It describes the goals of the campaign, which include informing society about equal rights regardless of attributes and helping those facing discrimination. Target groups include organizations combating discrimination, those in the employment market, youth, media, and society overall. Various communication channels and activities in Latvia are highlighted, such as participation in community events and a seminar on employee rights. Results noted an increased acknowledgement of discrimination issues in Latvian society and some successful legal cases defending citizens' rights.

1. The European Commission information campaign
„For Diversity. Against Discrimination”
Client: the Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities Directorate-General of the
European Commission and the partner agency of the „P.R.A.E. Sabiedriskās attiecības” –
„Media Consulta International Holding” (Germany)
Agency: „P.R.A.E. Sabiedriskās attiecības”
Term: year 2006 (in general the project is implemented since 2004)
Description of the situation
On 2000 there were two new directives taken by European Union (EU) – about the racial
equality and equality in employment. These directives became binding to Latvia when it
joined the EU.
However, the European Commission which followed the process how these directives are
implemented and how they affect the real life of the EU citizens, concluded that most of
them still do not know their rights and how to defend themselves. Therefore a new
information campaign “For Diversity. Against Discrimination” was started in 2003 in all EU
countries; the 10 new Member States joined this campaign on spring, 2004. The main
goal of the campaign is to inform people that their rights to get job in accordance to their
professional qualification or rights to get accepted to an educational institution may not be
limited due to their ethnic or racial origin, disability, religion or belief, sexual orientation or
age. They also may not be fired because of these reasons.
The campaign “For Diversity. Against Discrimination” is a five year campaign and 2007 is
its last year in all EU countries.
Research
At the initial stage of the campaign every Member State (including Latvia where it was
done by „P.R.A.E. Sabiedriskās attiecības”) researched the existing situation in
discrimination field and gathered information on the institutions and organizations actively
working in this field, informing people about their rights and defending them. To organize
and coordinate the campaign as successfully as possible, a National Working Group was
established in every country with the participation of the institutions mentioned before.
The Working Group meetings take place twice a year and during them the implemented
measures are evaluated and the following ones planned.
Goals
1) Informing society about their rights as European Union citizens – to experience
equal attitude regardless of their skin colour, sexual orientation, religious
persuasion, etc.
2) Informing people about the organizations where they can ask for help in case of
discrimination as well as emphasizing best practice examples when definite
persons have successfully defended their rights.

2. 3) Involving society in discussions about discrimination and diversity issues –
including employers and employees, youth, different minorities, etc.
Target groups
The main target groups are defined on EU level and they are as follows:
- the representatives of the organizations combating discrimination;
- economically active people who are involved in employment market;
- youth between 16 and 24 years of age;
- mass media;
- society in general.
Communication channels:
- general content news media, mostly those sections writing about the social issues
– Diena, Neatkarīgā Rīta Avīze, Latvijas Avīze, Čas, Telegraf, Vestji Segod a,
Latvijas Radio, Latvijas Televīzija, LNT, etc.;
- public affairs media – politika.lv, dialogi.lv;
- educational institutions (most of all, art schools because there have been several
design contests announced on EU level);
- employers and employees organizations;
- participation in public events (exhibition School 2006, Riga Marathon, September 1
events for the school youth, etc.).
Implemented activities
1) Participation in the exhibition School 2006 during which the visitors – young people
– were distributed information on discrimination issues and materials on the
opportunity to participate in the design contest;
2) Participation in the International Riga Marathon the participants of which were
offered to run in the T-shirts of the campaign, several partners’ teams were
organized and a special award was given to the winner in youth category;
3) Development of the special information materials relevant to the Latvian situation
(other materials are printed for all EU countries) and distribution within the events
organized by the social partners;
4) Participation in September 1 event for the school youth in Vērma dārzs where the
information on discrimination issues was distributed as well as souvenirs and other
promotion materials given to those participating in darts throwing contest;
5) Press conference devoted to the International Tolerance Day with the participation
of the Secretariat of the Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration, Free
Trade Union Confederation, organization “Mozaīka” and other experts;
6) Seminar for the employees and their rights with the participation of the European
Commission expert and the director of the Latvian Human Rights Center Ilze
Brands-Kehre and expert in diversity policies from Ireland, Carol Ann Casey;

3. 7) Social outdoor advertising – informative exhibition in the windows of the Latvian
National Library, story of the best practice example on the stickers in the shopping
center Spice and Integration Ministry, stickers on the trolleybuses and car with an
advertising trailer inviting people to be more tolerant towards each other.
Results
As the EU experts admit, to eliminate discrimination in all 27 countries, a lot of work
should be done and people should be informed and encouraged further on, however,
during the last years Latvian society has admitted that there are discrimination problems
and do not disassociate from them.
At the same time several people have been courageous enough to defend their rights
within the framework of legally available measures – the priest Māris Sants and the
Roman woman Sanita Kozlovska has won the law-suits for not being hired because of
their sexual orientation / ethnic origin, but the representative of the organization for
disabled people “Apeirons”, Raimonds Smagars has won a law-suit against a night-club
the security of which didn’t let him in because he’s in a wheel-chair. Also the number of
complaints the State Human Rights Bureau (now – the Ombudsman Bureau) has got
during the last years about discrimination because of a person’s point of view or outer
appearance has grown.
A range of changes in the legislation with regards to employment has also been
implemented according to the requirements of the EU directives.
Insight into the activities of the „For Diversity. Against Discrimination”
campaign in Latvia, 2006