(Opinion article)

Racism covers the world and unfortunately Ukraine is no exception. European countries are effectively finding ways to eradicate such a phenomenon. In general, racism is a belief in the superiority of some races or ethnic groups over others and prejudice and discrimination related to such faith.

Racism or faith in the superiority of races begins from childhood. Parents have the greatest influence on the formation of racism in a person and his future world outlook. If parents divide people into races and nationalities, while growing up, children will differentiate everyone and hate people who are not of their race.

Ukrainians are Slavs. First of all, racism in Ukraine is manifested towards the dark-skinned people. Though Ukraine does not lead the list of countries with the highest rate of racism, it still exists, and it is not acceptable. Now racism is popular among youth movements. It is fluent, it is not fixed in some definite organizations but it flashes from time to time in different regions of Ukraine.

In 2018, according to ‘Human Rights Watch’ members of hate and discrimination groups committed at least two dozen violent attacks against people belonging to various national minorities. Among young people inspired by racist slogans, it is considered cool and tough to keep on nagging and insulting unknown African or Asian men and women. They start talking about the reason of their arrival, humiliating and abusing with all spooky words they know. Such youth movements think that they are superior and have the right to control the street turfs.

Surely, there is the opposite movement of young people standing firmly against any manifestation of racial profiling. In my opinion, any person can do something bad, regardless of his or her race. To divide people into bad and good ones, because of their belonging to one or another nationality, is a kind of nonsense.

Especially strange the situation looks with foreign students. Ukrainian authorities invited them to our Universities to get hard cash, and, at the same time, some of our students try to force them to go back…The Theater of absurd.

Besides, our neo-racists are against the cross-cultural marriages they don`t want the “blending of blood.” I think it is unacceptable too. After all, everyone decides with whom to date and whom to share his or her life.

Therefore, I believe that racism is an inadmissible phenomenon for any civilized person as well as a civilized country. After all, while dealing with people of other nationalities, first of all, every self-respected person sees the inner world of them but not the color of their skin. Racism is unacceptable for the new generation of Ukrainians. We stand for human rights, for democratic values and for the freedom of choice. Racism is not our way. As Angela Merkel says, “Hatred, racism and extremism have no place in this country!” I think it relates to Ukraine too.