A new £4.5 million National Anti-Racism Awareness Programme will aim to challenge every individual in Ireland to question their attitudes, according to the head of its implementing body.
Mr Joe McDonagh said the three-year programme, to be formally launched today by the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, would educate people of all ages that racist behaviour was unacceptable.
Mr McDonagh, a former GAA president, is the chairman of a steering group established by the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform to implement the programme.
"What we will be saying is that we have a reputation for being a friendly welcoming nation," he said. "Let's re-establish that in welcoming newcomers and distil the message of what racism means down to being a deprivation of human rights, dignity and respect."
The programme would not be "a panacea for all ills". It would be part of a range of Government initiatives on foot of the recent UN anti-racism conference in South Africa.
The campaign's first "strategic partnership" would be its involvement in this year's anti-racism in the workplace week from November 5th-9th. It also hoped to create a cohort of anti-racism trainers and formulate an agreed "syllabus" for training around the State, according to Mr McDonagh.
He recognised the positive role that sport and music could play in anti-racism awareness and said the programme would forge close links with cultural and sporting organisations
A grant scheme for community groups carrying out anti-racism projects has already been established. Some 136 groups from 23 counties benefited from the first phase of funding totalling £200,000, said Mr McDonagh. A further £300,000 would be distributed in phase two of the funding scheme.
"We are just beginning on a journey here and none of us are under any illusion that we are going to eliminate racism in three years," he said. "We are setting realistic targets to put in place a structure so the work will continue in three years' time. By then we will have a strategy that will leave a long and sustaining benefit for Irish society."