Global

Great Big Story

10 December 2018

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Africa

Kenya

November - December 2018, Nairobi

Kenya celebrated Human Rights, with the European Union, at the Green Space Festival in Nairobi (Karura Forest) on 8 December. The festival attracted hundreds of people and offered music, games and other entertainment around the theme of human rights. The national celebration of the 70th Anniversary of the UDHR took place at the University of Nairobi with with close to 500 people in attendance, including participants from Government, civil society, grassroots orgs, the private sector, the UN, the diplomatic community, university students and artists. In the evening, the Nairobi Alliance Française commemorated the 70th Anniversary of the UDHR with an art exhibition on human rights themes and hip hop/rock music performance with local artists.

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Guinea

December 2018

In the lead up to Human Rights Day, people from different sectors of Guinea society recorded their thoughts on the meaning of UDHR in their daily life. The recordings was broadcast on local radios on 9 December, and during an indoor celebration on the 10 December 2018.

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Madagascar

10 December 2018, Antananarivo

On the occasion of the activities to mark the 70th anniversary of the UDHR and the 20th anniversary of the UN Declaration on the rights of human rights defenders on 10 December, OHCHR in Madagascar built new networks and alliances with the private sector and civil society organizations with the view to extending human rights promotion and protection across the country. In the municipality of Ivato in Antananarivo, the anthem and the monument of the 70th anniversary of the UDHR were inaugurated by the Minister of National Defense, representing the Prime Minister.

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Namibia

December 2018, Windhoek

The UN information centre in Windhoek in collaboration with the Human Rights Documentation Centre of the University of Namibia organized a week-long photo exhibition on the 70th anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The exhibit allowed the students to reflect on the articles of the declaration and learn from the extensive research of the drafters and champions of the document.

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Somalia

10 December 2018

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South Africa

1 December 2018, Johannesburg

“UWW Wrestling 4 All” Open Day took place on 1 December 2018 in Johannesburg. This event was organized by the United World Wrestling and the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights with the support of the South African Wrestling Federation and the UN Regional Office for South Africa. The event was held at the Danie Van Zyl Recreation Centre and included a #standup4humanrights poster exhibition, a UN information and education booth, wrestling activities for families, beach wrestling demonstrations and an Olympic wrestling tournament. UWW Development Scholarships were awarded to the winners of the Junior + age groups.

See also the Shine your light for the rights of youth with youth event in Johannesburg

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Uganda

10 December 2018, Kampala, Gulu and Moroto

In Uganda, the commemorations were organised and coordinated jointly with the Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) in partnership with other national human rights actors in Kampala, Gulu and Moroto. At the national level, the event was preceded by a series of activities and campaigns, including an essay competition for students in universities and higher learning institutions, a drawing competition for pupils of between five and 18 years of age and a call for contribution of art pieces, poems and sculptures to launch a human rights museum, to be hosted at the Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC). All these activities were crowned at a Human Rights Gala on 10 December at the Railway Grounds, a central public location in Kampala, where the Human Rights Museum, children’s drawings and poems were displayed. In the week leading to 10 December, OHCHR organized a training for fifty Human Rights Defenders (HRDs) from across the country.

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Asia – Pacific

Bangladesh

8-9 December 2018, Dhaka

In collaboration with the Dhaka University Film Society (DUFS), a “Human Rights Short Film Festival 2018" featured a selection of films on contemporary human rights issues. Afterwards, a panel discussed the need to cover these issues in motion pictures and the opportunities, and challenges of standing up for human rights.

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Cambodia

8 December 2018, Phnom Penh

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India

10 December 2018, Visakhapatnam

The Indian organization ‘Yes We Can’ promoted human rights with the theme "Advocating Human Rights for Sustainable Development". The objective of this campaign was to reach out to colleges to create awareness on the 30 Articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights through student debate programmes.

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Myanmar

9 December 2018, Yangon

The UN information centre in Yangon worked with UN partners, the European Union, civil society organisations and human rights defenders to invite Myanmar in a day of discussions, exhibits, stories, arts, music, and film, presenting the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to the general public. See the video

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Nepal

October- December 2018 – Kathmandu

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Philippines

December 2018, Manila

The UN information centre in Manila, in collaboration with the country team, conducted a short-film competition titled “What Human Rights Mean to Me”, reflecting young people’s aspirations from a human rights perspective. They also projected the UDHR70 logo onto a giant LED globe.

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Europe and Central Asia

Azerbaijan

10-12 December, Baku

OHCHR in Azerbaijan and the UN country team organized a three-day exhibition) at the Museum Centre of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. The event highlighted the evolution of human rights, global challenges and solutions. The launch ceremony brought together some 80 participants from the government agencies, United Nation, Parliament, civil society, academia and the media. Opening session included speeches from the UN Resident Coordinator, the Ombudsperson, vice-speaker of the Milli Majlis (Parliament), and a video message by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.

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Belgium

December 2018, Brussels

The iconic Grande Place of Brussels was lit on 10 December, as the 30 articles of the UDHR were read out from the balcony of Brussels’ City Hall. The ceremony was preceded by a town-hall conversation on the relevance of the Universal Declaration 70 years after its adoption. In addition, the UN flag flew high over Belgium’s landmark monument, the Atomium, and children took a tour to learn more about human rights. UN Human Rights Office partnered with Spanish artist Cristobal Gabarron to exhibit children’s drawings illustrating the articles of the UDHR. On 1st December, two thousand young people gathered in Brussels to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the UDHR, invited by the United Nations Association. Watch the video for more highlights.

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France

10 December, Paris

The association “Musique Universelle Arc-en-Ciel” ‘stood up’ for the UDHR 70th anniversary with a conference in Paris, including speakers from diverse fields such as Law, Health, Disabilities, Development, Refugees and Education. The conference also explored how music, dance, fine arts, architecture or literature can be powerful tools to protect human dignity and advance Human Rights Education. Some artistic moments included a Franco-Syrian economist reading poetry on women and peace, a Franco-Moroccan jurist reading poetry on ‘multiple identities’, and a Franco-American educator performing an Argentinian tango on the flute.

10 December, Paris

Artist Piero Bordin from Art Carnuntum organized an artistic installation in Paris remembering the 70 years of the UDHR. Three Director’s Chairs” represents the three persons who, according to Bordin, changed the world with their ideas and work: Roman emperors Licinius and Constantin who signed the Edict of Milan on 13 June 313, and Eleanor Roosevelt who chaired the Commission that brought the UDHR to life on 10 December 1948. The chairs were placed at the Palais Chaillot in Paris, where the historic UDHR was signed.

10 December, Lozère

Children from schools in the villages of Vébron and Florac read the UDHR in front of the Town Hall on the evening of 10 December. They also sang the European Anthem and received the Passports of Human Rights from the Mayor, followed by a preview of the exhibition of their illustrations of the 30 articles of the UDHR.

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Italy

December 2018, Milano, Palermo and Turin

The 70th anniversary of the UDHR was the them for the Civic School of Interpreters and Translators Altiero Spinelli of Milan to decorate its premises with the articles of the UDHR in Italian, English, French, German, Spanish, Chinese, Dutch, Russian, Portuguese and Arabic.. On 10 December in Palermo, the association ComeUnaMarea Onlus hosted an event on gender-based violence and human rights. That same day, the European Antimafia and Counter-Terrorism Observatory organized two conferences in Torino, one at the Lycée Français "Giono" and another one at the Einaudi university.

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Ukraine

December 2018, Kyiv

A big outdoor at the city centre of Kyiv gathered OHCHR staff who spoke about human rights, the UDHR and the work the Office is doing in Ukraine (see the video). Later, at an opening ceremony members of the civil society, the international community, the Government, and the general public gathered to commemorate the UDHR.

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Americas

Argentina

December 2018, Buenos Aires

The UN information centre in Buenos Aires partnered with the Buenos Aires Underground Corporation to display 70 giant posters, in two designs, at 37 metro stations throughout the capital city for one month (20 Nov – 20 Dec 2018). The Buenos Aires Underground is used by more than one million people every day.

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Brazil

10 December 2018, São Paulo

The Human Rights Office of the Public Defender of the Brazilian State of São Paulo is an independent state agency that provides full and free legal assistance to people who do not have the funds to pay the costs of these services. It is also responsible for the promotion of human rights, according to the Federal Constitution of Brazil. During the week of the "Seminar on Public Policies for Youth" on 10 December, it organized an exhibition in its headquarters with the 30 winning cartoons selected by Cartoon Movement about each article of the UDHR.

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Chile

10 December 2018, Santiago

As part of the 70th anniversary of the UDHR , nine leading activists from the region shared their stories, testimonies and aspirations for the future on human rights. The event was a celebration of "Voices: Defenders of South America" in the Museum of Memory in Santiago. A concert by Chilean singer Francisca Valenzuela at the Museum’s plaza, made over 4,000 people cheer for human rights.

See also the Shine your light for women’s rights event in Santiago.

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Jamaica

December 2018, Kingston

A Human Rights Day arts competition decorated the commemorative event at Vera Moodie Hall. The artists discussed their work and their connection with the UDHR. This travelling art exhibition will be finally displayed at the UN House in Kingston. In addition, Jamaicans were invited to join the social media campaign on the Declaration by taking photos of themselves posing with their favourite rights. For more information, please follow this link. More information...

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Mexico

November - December 2018, Mexico City

As part of the activities to mark the 70th Anniversary of the UDHR, several posters, promotional billboards and commemorative videos were displayed to the more than 3,850,000 commuters who use the subway lines and stations in Mexico City each day. The posters feature a general description of several articles of the UDHR. This joint initiative with OHCHR Mexico, the European Union embassy, the National Commission on Human Rights, the HR Commission of Mexico City, the Subway System of Mexico City, and the Mexican advertisement company ISA Corporativo were part of the Shine your light for Human Rights Defenders event in Mexico.

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Panama

30 November 2018-30 January 2019, Tocumen International Airport

The 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights landed in the Tocumen International Airport in Panama through an exhibition carried out by the UN Information Centre (UNIC) Panama in collaboration with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights for Central America, Dominican Republic, and Panama. Since 30 November, five windows of the airport have hosted an English and Spanish exhibition to commemorate the anniversary. Around 1.3 million people pass through the Tocumen International Airport per month.The exhibit will be on display until 30 January 2019.

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Peru

December 2018, Lima

The UN information centre in Lima worked with the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights, the Embassies of Germany, Belgium and France, and the Delegation of the European Union to have the 30 articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights engraved in the cement columns at the entrance of Lima`s Museum of Tolerance (Place of Memory, Tolerance and Social Inclusion). The accompanying video, featuring victims of human rights violations, human rights leaders, authorities and other influencers, is part of the museum´s collection to be viewed by visitors.

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United States of America

10 December, New York

To commemorate the 70th anniversary of the UDHR, youth arts organization Art and Resistance Through Education (ARTE) and creative branding agency ThoughtMatter are teaming up to release an updated version of the UDHR. As a reflection of ARTE's mission to affect social change through art and a desire to reach a wider audience, this thoughtfully designed edition will be a resource for youth organizers, community leaders, and educators while serving as an artful and accessible representation of our collective fundamental rights. It will be released in both paper and digital formats and used in a series of ARTE workshops and trainings in New York City in 2019.

10 December, San Francisco

Today, 50%+ of the world population is online; and the number is set to rise. How will our future, digital world uphold human rights, in the face of challenges such as privacy, artificial intelligence, bioenergy, misinformation and so much more? On 10 December in San Francisco, in partnership with the UN Human Rights Office, Constellation Research hosted a global event with key Internet pioneers, the People-Centered Internet coalition, to discuss community norms, human rights implications and social contracts required in this exponential digital era. Watch the live stream.

10 December, Washington DC

On 10 December, the World Bank’s Nordic Trust Fund (NTF) held a reception to celebrate its 10th anniversary, attended by 40 World Bank staff and management, and donor representatives. At the reception, 16 of the posters commissioned by OHCHR and Poster for Tomorrow on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights were displayed. The UDHR70 poster exhibit will be on display for two months in the World Bank headquarters Atrium.

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Middle East/North Africa

Mauritania

December - Nouakchott

A multi-media exhibition, including paintings by students describing each article of the UDHR, has been created. The exhibition traveled from Nouakchott to Timbedra. Five artists narrated the UDHR in the official languages of the country and the soundtrack was broadcast during the exhibition and on the local radio stations.

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Tunisia

10 December - Tunis

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