The Bureau designate has decided to reschedule the first organizational
session of the Preparatory Committee of the Durban Review Conference to 27- 31
August 2007.
Introduction

The Preparatory Committee for the Durban Review Conference will hold its
first organizational session in Geneva from 27 to 31 August 2007 pursuant to
General Assembly Resolution 61/149 [English, French, Russian, Spanish, Chinese, Arabic ]

and Human Rights Council Resolution 3/2 [English, French, Russian, Spanish, Chinese, Arabic ]

Preparations for the Durban Review Conference

At its sixty-first session, in its resolution 61/149 the General Assembly
decided to convene in 2009 a review conference on the implementation of the
Durban Declaration and Programme of Action to be conducted within the framework
of the General Assembly, and, to this end, requested the Human Rights Council
to undertake preparations for this event, making use of the three existing
and on-going follow-up mechanisms; and to formulate a concrete plan and
provide updates and reports on this issue on an annual basis starting in 2007.

At its third session, the Human Rights Council in its resolution 3/2 decided
that the Human Rights Council will act as the Preparatory Committee for the
Durban Review Conference which shall be open to the participation of all
Member States of the United Nations and members of the specialized agencies and
also to the participation of observers in accordance with the established
practice of the General Assembly. It further decided that at its organizational
sessions the Preparatory Committee shall elect, on the basis of equitable
geographic representation, a bureau for the Preparatory Committee and that, at
the same session, the Preparatory Committee shall decided on all the relevant
modalities for the Conference in accordance with established practice of the
General Assembly, including deciding on the objectives of the Review
Conference, the level at which the Review Conference shall be convened, regional
preparatory initiatives, date and venue.

Resolution 3/2 reaffirmed that the Durban Review Conference will be
undertaken on the basis of and with full respect for the Durban Declaration and
Programme of Action and that there will be no renegotiation of the existing
agreements contained therein. The Council also decided that it will concentrate on
their implementation, including further actions, initiatives and practical
solutions for combating all the contemporary scourges of racism.

The Preparatory Committee for the Durban Review will meet at the Assembly
Hall, Palais des Nations, Geneva, Switzerland. Accreditation procedures shall
be communicated to you shortly.

Contact details: adusecretariat@ohchr.org