Ireland is determined its society will not suffer the curse of racism, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform has told the UN world conference.
Mr O'Donoghue said the Government was funding an anti-racism awareness campaign "to ensure racism and racist tendencies do not gain a foothold, and to promote an appreciation of the benefits of a diverse and multicultural society."
The Minister, who is leading the 30-member Irish delegation at the conference, made his address to delegates from more than 150 countries at the weekend.
He outlined initiatives, including anti-discrimination laws which were a model worthy of emulation. He said "legislation on its own however, while necessary, is not sufficient to prevent the appearance of racism and xenophobia".
Ireland was "building a national consensus" on the way forward to combat racism, and the Irish delegation - which includes officials, the Garda and equality institutions among others - reflected the commitment to participation by all sectors of society in the fight against racism.
Mr O'Donoghue said: "Racism is an ideology which developed in particular historical periods and which served to justify the expropriation of land and the enslavement, subjugation or genocide of peoples on the basis that they were biologically or otherwise inferior. Like all ideologies, it took on a life of its own and persists after the conditions which gave rise to it have changed."
On the issue of colonialism, Mr O'Donoghue said that for obvious historical reasons Irish people were sensitive to the complex political, economic, social, cultural and psychological legacy of colonialism and that the legacy could remain for years after the ending of colonial status.
"Historical injustices must be acknowledged honestly and condemned," he added.
Ireland has a stable democracy, with the Republic based on the values and philosophy of the United Irishmen which espoused the principles of liberty, equality and fraternity, he said.
Mr O'Donoghue said too much was at stake to allow disagreements on issues that could be pursued honourably in other forums, "preventing us making a collective stand against racism". This comment was a reference to ongoing divisions over slavery and colonialism and disagreement over Israel's treatment of the Palestinians.
The Minister will return to Ireland today but the Irish delegation will remain in Durban.