Highlights

Take a closer look at some of the events and stories taking place across the world to celebrate the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

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 © FIFDH

High Commissioner Zeid opens the International Film Festival and Forum on Human Rights in Geneva

9 March 2018

For its 16th edition, the International Film Festival and Forum on Human Rights worked alongside the UN Human Rights Office to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the UDHR, and invited its public to stand up for human rights.

Participants were able to post their reactions to the topics discussed at the Festival on Twitter and Instagram by using #standup4humanrights and #fifdh18.

Starting 1 March, the Stand Up "digital wall" retrieved contributions that were in turn projected onto the Festival screens at the beginning of every session. This wall was also made available on the Festival's website.

The public was also encouraged to rally for human rights be committing themselves to defending them by taking The Pledge; and using the Add your voice feature to record themselves reading out an article of the Universal declaration of human rights in their mother tongue.

Further, High Commissioner Zeid hosted a Carte Blanche on the opening night of the Festival, 9 March, where he delivered a keynote address on the state of human rights in the world, followed by a moderated conversation and a Q&A with the Geneva public. ‘The array of films being shown during this Festival is so inspiring, tackling provocative issues, raising difficult questions we all should ask ourselves, and telling the stories of people. (...) And as we discuss, debate – and indeed perhaps even differ – we are embodying the essential freedoms of thought and expression. And in doing so, we are standing up for those who are denied these rights and who we must never, and will never, abandon.’ Zeid concluded.


  • I will respect your rights regardless of who you are. I will uphold your rights even when I disagree with you
  • When anyone’s human rights are denied, everyone's rights are undermined, so I will stand up
  • I will raise my voice. I will take action. I will use my rights to stand up for your rights.

people have stood up for human rights

We can all be Human Rights Champions

Tweet, Instagram or YouTube your action using the hashtag #Standup4humanrights.

Spread the word

#Standup4humanrights