A/RES/55/81 United Nations General Assembly Distr.: General 26 February 2001 Fifty-fifth session Agenda item 112 Resolution adopted by the General Assembly [on the report of the Third Committee (A/55/600)] 55/81. International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination The General Assembly, Recalling its previous resolutions concerning the reports of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination and its resolutions on the status of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, 1 most recently resolution 53/131 of 9 December 1998, Bearing in mind the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action adopted by the World Conference on Human Rights on 25 June 1993, 2 in particular section II.B of the Declaration, relating to equality, dignity and tolerance, Reiterating the need to intensify the struggle to eliminate all forms of racial discrimination throughout the world, especially its most brutal forms, Recalling its resolution 52/111 of 12 December 1997, in which it decided to convene the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance no later than 2001, Recalling also its resolution 53/132 of 9 December 1998, in which it decided to observe 2001 as the International Year of Mobilization against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance, Taking note of Commission on Human Rights resolution 2000/14 of 17 April 2000 on racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, 3 Reiterating the importance of the Convention, which is one of the most widely accepted human rights instruments adopted under the auspices of the United Nations, Stressing the importance of achieving universal ratification of the Convention, which will contribute to the fight against racism and racial discrimination, 1 Resolution 2106 A (XX), annex. A/CONF.157/24 (Part I), chap. III. 3 See Official Records of the Economic and Social Council, 2000, Supplement No. 3 and corrigendum (E/2000/23 and Corr.1), chap. II, sect. A. 2 00 56425