The City of Zurich is committed to combating racial discrimination. Since protection and combating discrimination are cross-cutting issues , the city council has set up a coordinating working group. It regularly prepares a report.

The interdepartmental working group set up by the City Council has drawn up the current report on racism under the leadership of the promotion of integration. The Racism Report 2022 focuses on the city administration. Using concrete case studies, he shows how racism manifests itself in the everyday life of the city of Zurich administration and how people react to it.

In recent years, the city's institutions have implemented a wide range of measures against racial discrimination. Racist incidents are often responded to appropriately. However, the report also shows that there is no uniform practice in the administration and that similar incidents are responded to differently.

The report contains several recommendations on how the city administration can tackle racism more decisively and in a more coordinated manner. The city council has now instructed the presidential department to prepare a template for the appropriate implementation of these recommendations by summer 2023.

In the city of Zurich, there are visible signs in public space with reference to racism and colonialism. The city council wants these time signs to be removed, processed or contextualized after a case-by-case examination. In doing so, it follows the recommendations of a project group which, under the direction of Integration Promotion, drew up an interpretation and proposed possible courses of action.

Integration Promotion has compiled some listening, seeing and reading tips on the subject of racism.

Zurich Contact Point Racism ZüRAS

Do you feel unfairly treated, disadvantaged or threatened because of your origin, skin colour or religion? Do you experience racism and discrimination at work, at leisure or in the neighbourhood? ZüRAS support you. We advise you, recommend further steps and look for solutions with you. The advice is confidential and independent. If you live in the Canton of Zurich, the consultation is free of charge.

Zurich Contact Point Racism ZüRAS

Monday to Thursday 9.30am – 11.30am

044 / 415 62 26

info@zueras.ch

www.zueras.ch

Flyers of the contact point can be ordered free of charge here .

OMBUDSSTELLE – In case of conflicts with the city administration

The Ombudsman's Office offers you free, neutral and independent assistance in conflicts with the city administration and municipal authorities. 

Information brochure in different languages

On the online platform of the Federal Commission against Racism FCR, racist online hate speech can be easily reported. If desired, the platform also offers advice and support.

www.reportonlineracism.ch

Do religious holidays have to be taken into account when planning shifts? Can I directly address specific religious communities for funeral services or does this exclude? How can an interreligious prayer room be designed in a retirement center? Or: We want to take into account  different dietary regulations in our canteen – what would we have to consider?

The Zurich Institute for Interreligious Dialogue ZIID offers educational and advisory services for these and similar questions. The departments of the City of Zurich can take advantage of this offer free of charge.

The article explores the tension between integration work and the fight against racism and is based on findings from the urban racism report.

Is racism a marginal phenomenon? Or is racial discrimination an expression of socially entrenched routines and self-evident facts? What are the historical references? How does everyday racism manifest itself? How can experiences of everyday racism be brought up?

From October 2016 to January 2017, a series of five individual events was held on different aspects of racism.

The series of events was a joint project of Integration Promotion and GMS Society Minorities Switzerland, GRA Foundation against Racism and Anti-Semitism, Paulus Academy Zurich and Zentrum Geschichte des Wissens ETH/UNIZH.

A summary of the events can be found in the following reports: