In Auckland, New Zealand, a representative of the New Zealand Police presents the winner's shield for the 2008 Race Unity Speech Award to Charon Maseka of Wellington. With them are the other finalists for the award.

The New Zealand Police, a government department, has signed a formal funding agreement with the Baha'is for a speech contest for teenagers about race unity.

The Race Unity Speech Award, now in its eighth year, was established by Baha'is and already had received the support of the national Human Rights Commission. The nationwide contest is open to students in the last three years of high school.

The New Zealand Police has pledged NZ$50,000 (US$39,500) over a five-year period and also is supporting the competition in a variety of other ways at both the regional and national levels.

Mark Weitzman of the Simon Weisenthal Center and Yvette Rugasaguhunga were among nine speakers at a discussion titled "Eliminate Racism: Prevent Mass Atrocities."

The relationship between racism and mass atrocities was the focus of a panel discussion co-sponsored by the Baha'i International Community to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

"Genocide is not a natural disaster," said Payam Akhavan, an associate professor of law at McGill University, whose appearance was sponsored by the Baha'is. "It is a man-made disaster, an instrument through which ruthless leaders exercise power at the expense of millions."