The CRE published its annual report for 2005 on July 26th. Speaking on publication of the report, CRE chair Trevor Phillips said:Two words come to mind when I think back on 2005: celebration and tribulation. On 6 July, Britain was riding high on a wave of euphoria after winning the chance to stage the 2012 Olympic Games, based on a vision of a diverse, multi-ethnic, multicultural city. A day later, tragedy struck. The images of strangers of different races and religions comforting each other as they emerged from the London bombings showed a city united in the face of terror.

After 40 years of race legislation and as we consider the CRE's 30th anniversary, we have come along way: a company can no longer refuse to hire someone because of their race; a hotel cannot turn someone away because of their colour; and a club cannot have rules about dress code that exclude people from some racial groups.

But our progress on race equality is constantly being questioned. At the start of the twenty-first century, the greatest issue of our times is this: can the peoples of a multi-ethnic and multi-faith world share the planet in peace?

Highlights of the report include:

Publication of the CRE's formal investigation into the Police Service in England and Wale, including 125 recommendations.

In September, the CRE warned that Britain was 'sleepwalking to segregation' and called for a debate on how to reverse the trend for communities to live separate, parallel lives and we reiterated our integration agenda.

Our Getting Results funding programme provided over £3m to local race equality organisations to fight inequality and to promote integration.

Our research programme grew considerably in 2005. We repeated our public attitudes work regarding racism and immigration; looked at careers in the print media industry and what drives local racial equality work.

We launched our Statutory Code of Practice on Racial Equality in Employment, giving best practice guidance to employers on promoting race equality in the workplace, and A Guide to Good Race Relations which gives authorities advice on how to promote good race relations.

Our parliamentary and political engagement work included lobbying ministers to ensure that provisions in the Equality Bill were in the best interests of race equality and launched Race Equality Champions a cross party group of parliamentarians committed to race equality.

We increased our work at international level to raise awareness of CRE work and race equality.

We hosted a seminar on the underachievement of black boys in education, chaired by Baroness Howells and speakers included Professor Gus John, Dr Tony Sewell and Dr Carl Parsons.

Our campaign, 'Countdown to May 31', reminded public authorities that they had to revise how they promote race equality under amendments to the Race Relations Act .

For further information contact the CRE press office on 020 7939 0106 or 07876 453 779.

ABOUT THE CRE

The Race Relations Act makes it unlawful to discriminate against anyone on grounds of race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origins. The CRE was established under the Act to work for the elimination of discrimination, the promotion of equality of opportunity and good race relations generally.

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