THE BLACKFACE AWARD GOES TO: UNITED COLORS OF BENETTON
Roep de GrootGraaierij van de BLACKFACE/ZWARTE PIET bedrijven en multinationals tot een halt!
Als ze niet willen luisteren moeten ze maar in de portemonnee voelen.
Wat kunt u zelf doen:
Kopieer de onderstaande tekst, plak in een email, onderteken (alias mag ook),zend naar:
Mr Alessandro Benetton, President
Benetton Group Headquarters
Via Villa Minelli, 1
31050 Ponzano Veneto
Treviso, Italy
Tel. +39 0422 519111
fax. +39 0422 519930
[email protected]
[email protected]
Mr Alessandro Benetton can also be reached at:
www.alessandrobenetton.com
Twitter: @ale_benetton
FB: https://www.facebook.com/AlessandroBenetton
Dear Mr A. Benetton and the Benetton Group,
Given the Benetton brands unique public image and track record regarding diversity one would consider Benetton a brand that takes its responsibility when it comes to social and human rights issues serious. Therefore we would politely like to bring the following to your attention.
A major Dutch department store called De Bijenkorf annually decorates it’s shops with the the Dutch blackface-character "Zwarte Piet” (Black Pete) at the start of the Dutch holiday Season. De Bijenkorf is a prolific retail POS for the Benetton brand. The racist Black Pete character is prominently featured at De Bijenkorf and is offensive to international tourists, people of African descent in general and a growing number of Dutch locals who frequent this department store. Also note: many people of African descent in the Netherlands originate from countries that were Dutch colonies where chattel slavery was common practice.
Recently a Dutch court, the Dutch Human Rights Council and the UN Working Group of Experts on Peoples of African Descent have concluded that the blackface character is a racist caricature, confirming negative stereotypes of black people.
De Bijenkorf is aware of these developments. But is, despite anti-racism protests in the Netherlands, in no way inclined to remove the racist blackface character from their stores. Any use of blackface, no matter the context, is racist in nature. Even when ignorant of its racist historical origins, the use of blackface cannot be excused or condoned.
In the past Benetton has been very prolific in taking a stand for diversity and speaking out against racism, discrimination and inequality in it’s ad campaigns. Benetton and The Unhate Foundation is making efforts promote dialogue and acceptance of diversity in different geographical areas. Promotion of the Benetton brand using blackface imagery in print ads by De Bijenkorf damages the credibility and reputation of both Benetton and the Unhate Foundation. To add insult to injury, prominent in store use of the racist Black Pete character reflects negatively on the Benetton brand by mere association.
We are calling on your proven awareness of social responsibility that, while your products are being sold in this store, you speak out against Black Pete. We trust that, given Benettons unique public image and standing, the Benetton brand does not support blackface or condones racist expressions by selling its products in a store that prominently features this racist stereotype. We therefore appeal to you to urge the De Bijenkorf management to refrain from decorating the stores with this blackface character and to also publicly distance yourself from such racist imagery and racism in general.
We appreciate your proactive approach and look forward to a timely response.
Note: We have also brought the issue to the attention of Selfridges, the parent company residing in the UK. Simultaneously we are addressing the companies who affiliate themselves with the Bijenkorf to also take an anti-racism stand.
For more information about Black Pete: http://www.stnicholascenter.org/pages/ zwarte-piet/#i_4487
Bijenkorf spokeswoman explaining Black Pete
http://edition.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/world/2013/11/19/netherlands-blackpete.cnn.html
Black Pete at De Bijenkorf https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdoB2ey5Vbc
Sincerely,
Given the Benetton brands unique public image and track record regarding diversity one would consider Benetton a brand that takes its responsibility when it comes to social and human rights issues serious. Therefore we would politely like to bring the following to your attention.
A major Dutch department store called De Bijenkorf annually decorates it’s shops with the the Dutch blackface-character "Zwarte Piet” (Black Pete) at the start of the Dutch holiday Season. De Bijenkorf is a prolific retail POS for the Benetton brand. The racist Black Pete character is prominently featured at De Bijenkorf and is offensive to international tourists, people of African descent in general and a growing number of Dutch locals who frequent this department store. Also note: many people of African descent in the Netherlands originate from countries that were Dutch colonies where chattel slavery was common practice.
Recently a Dutch court, the Dutch Human Rights Council and the UN Working Group of Experts on Peoples of African Descent have concluded that the blackface character is a racist caricature, confirming negative stereotypes of black people.
De Bijenkorf is aware of these developments. But is, despite anti-racism protests in the Netherlands, in no way inclined to remove the racist blackface character from their stores. Any use of blackface, no matter the context, is racist in nature. Even when ignorant of its racist historical origins, the use of blackface cannot be excused or condoned.
In the past Benetton has been very prolific in taking a stand for diversity and speaking out against racism, discrimination and inequality in it’s ad campaigns. Benetton and The Unhate Foundation is making efforts promote dialogue and acceptance of diversity in different geographical areas. Promotion of the Benetton brand using blackface imagery in print ads by De Bijenkorf damages the credibility and reputation of both Benetton and the Unhate Foundation. To add insult to injury, prominent in store use of the racist Black Pete character reflects negatively on the Benetton brand by mere association.
We are calling on your proven awareness of social responsibility that, while your products are being sold in this store, you speak out against Black Pete. We trust that, given Benettons unique public image and standing, the Benetton brand does not support blackface or condones racist expressions by selling its products in a store that prominently features this racist stereotype. We therefore appeal to you to urge the De Bijenkorf management to refrain from decorating the stores with this blackface character and to also publicly distance yourself from such racist imagery and racism in general.
We appreciate your proactive approach and look forward to a timely response.
Note: We have also brought the issue to the attention of Selfridges, the parent company residing in the UK. Simultaneously we are addressing the companies who affiliate themselves with the Bijenkorf to also take an anti-racism stand.
For more information about Black Pete: http://www.stnicholascenter.org/pages/ zwarte-piet/#i_4487
Bijenkorf spokeswoman explaining Black Pete
http://edition.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/world/2013/11/19/netherlands-blackpete.cnn.html
Black Pete at De Bijenkorf https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdoB2ey5Vbc
Sincerely,