Making a human rights wish

If you had to make one wish for human rights, what would it be?

As part of celebrations to mark the sixty-third birthday of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, we invited people to make a human rights wish.

Thousands made their wish through a special website we set up for the purpose – celebratehumanrights.org – while others did so directly to their friends and colleagues.

At an event to celebrate Human Rights Day 2011 hosted by the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, at the United Nations headquarters in New York, guests were invited to make their human rights wish. Many made their wishes on camera, which you may watch here.

“My wish, based on Article 30 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, is for a time where no one will have their rights taken away,” said Pillay.

In a message read for him by General Assembly Vice President and Permanent Representative of Fiji to the United Nations, Peter Thomson, the President of the General Assembly, Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser wished that “for every man, woman and child worldwide, all the rights contained in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights will come true.”

The President of the Economic and Social Council, Lazarous Kapambwe, wished that “we are all free and equal”. He added, in a message delivered by the Deputy Permanent Representative of Zambia to the United Nations, Sheila Nangoma Mweemba, that to achieve freedom and equality, we have to work equally hard for peace and security, for development and for human rights.

Video excerpts:

• Permanent Representative of Morocco to the United Nations, Mohammed Loulichki: Given the wonderful work Ms. Pillay is doing, she will continue to do it.
• Permanent Representative of Norway to the United Nations, Morten Wetland: The process for improved human rights in Myanmar will continue and accelerate.
• Permanent Representative of Luxemburg to the United Nations, Sylvie Lucas: We are all free and equal.
• Chaim Litewski, UN Television: Freedom of expression for everyone everywhere.
• Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information, Kiyotaka Akasaka: Freedom of expression and freedom of the press.
• Permanent Representative of Uruguay to the United Nations, José Luis Cancela: True universalisation of human rights for everyone.
• Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the United Nations, Abulkalam Abdul Momen: Everyone enjoys human rights across the globe.
• Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights, Ivan Šimonović: Every man and woman to be treated with the dignity they deserve.
• Imran Garda (South Africa), Al Jazeera Television: Take seriously the issue of migrant workers in the Arab world.

Watch the video on YouTube.

Want to make a human rights wish?
Visit our Human Rights Day wishes site: celebratehumanrights.org or our Facebook page: facebook.com/unitednationshumanrights

6 January 2011