UN human rights chief Volker Türk on Monday, the 11th of December, called for global cooperation to tackle problems such as war and pollution, to mark the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, reports Reuters.
The event in Geneva aimed to reflect the spirit of the 1948 UN declaration in response to the “barbaric acts” that that outraged humanity.
“I see today’s event as a call for hope and action,”
said Türk, underlining the positive impact of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, citing achievements such as the end of racial segregation in the US and the eradication of apartheid in South Africa. He stressed that the divisions in society are a call to overcome them in this complex global situation.
Türk also made clear the failure to tackle problems such as war, hunger, discrimination, repression and pollution. He highlighted the suffering in the occupied Palestinian territories, both in Gaza and in Israel.
Lynn Hastings, UN Humanitarian Coordinator for the Occupied Palestinian Territories, stated that human rights are under threat, especially after the 7th of October Hamas attack on Israel and the subsequent bombardment of the Gaza Strip. She regretted that such statements still had to be made today,
pointing out that in the last 75 years people “have learned nothing”, writes Reuters.
The UN reported 55 active conflicts in the world, citing the ongoing conflicts in Sudan and the Russian invasion of Ukraine, adding that the world has never seen so many conflicts in the post-World War II period.
At the event, they refrained from using the word “celebrate” and chose “mark” instead.
Read also: UN chief: Gaza death toll shows that Israeli tactics are “clearly wrong”
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