Schools from throughout the country were represented at the Human Rights Day ceremony hosted by United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) in Port of Spain  at the Simon Bolivar Auditorium in Port of Spain on 10 December 2008. The ceremony was held not only in commemoration of Human Rights Day (observed annually on 10 December) but also in celebration of the 60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which was adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1948. Attendees included sixth form students, accompanied by their teachers and principals. UNIC Director Angélica Hunt presented a brief introduction to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which was followed by a session by United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Child Protection Specialist, Milen Kidane, on the Convention on the Rights of the Child that sets international standards for the protection and promotion of children’s rights. Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, His Excellency Mr. Hans P.P.M. Horbach, also gave a brief address on the importance of human rights in the foreign policy of the Netherlands. These presentations were supported by two United Nations videos relating children’s rights stories from Ethiopia and Romania. Another highlight of the ceremony was the presentation of United Nations Certificates of Acknowledgement to some of the artists who performed at “Freedom Rain: the United Nations Concert for Human Rights and Justice”, staged by the United Nations System in Trinidad and Tobago in Chaguaramas on 25 October 2008. 

In the framework of the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, a new Friends of the UN club was created in the Department of Arequipa, Peru, 1,000 Kms. south of Lima. The Friends of the UN clubs are voluntary associations created by United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) Lima for students interested in the work of the United Nations, global problems, and development issues.

Students from Santa Isabel school launched the club on 10 December 2008 with a programme to mark the 60th anniversary of the Declaration of Human Rights. They participated in a lecture entitled “Education without Borders: Development, Peace and Equality” which was also attended by local authorities, directors, teachers and students from educational institutions from Camana, Arequipa.

The programme was opened by the coordinator of the club, who focused her message on the importance of having a Friends of the UN club in Arequipa. “Promoting education on human rights among the students is a necessity”, she said, “and I invite all to get engaged with education as a priority to improve the quality of life and have access to opportunities in our society.”

The representative from the Ministry of Education congratulated Santa Isabel school and the UNIC for this new initiative in Arequipa. He also highlighted the commitment of the Ministry to the promotion of human rights and the culture of peace among the students.

Student Norely Molina addressed the group and highlighted the importance of participating in this network. She also expressed her gratitude to all who made the creation of this club possible.

Finally, the Principal of Santa Isabel expressed his satisfaction at the creation of this club and congratulated the UNIC for this initiative, urging other schools to support this project.

« Dignité et Justice pour nous tous », tel est le thème de la célébration du 60è anniversaire de la Déclaration Universelle des Droits de l’Homme qui a donné lieu à des activités à Brazzaville et à Gamboma (325 km au nord de la capitale de la République du Congo).

Dans cette deuxième localité, le temps fort de la célébration a été la cérémonie organisée au Lycée Henri Lopes. Dans son mot de bienvenue, M. Jean Philippe Makaya, Proviseur de l’établissement, s’est félicité du partenariat du Centre d’Information des Nations Unies qui a permis aux élèves de « se familiariser avec les droits de l’homme ». M. Prosper Mihindou du Centre d’Information des Nations Unies (CINU) a lu le message du Secrétaire Général de l’Organisation des Nations Unies.

Les élèves ont présenté une pièce de théâtre destinée à sensibiliser la promotion et la protection des droits de l’homme. La pièce a illustré la manière dont la vie de nombreuses personnes est ôtée par simple accusation de sorcellerie.

Les résultats du concours de connaissance sur les droits de l’homme ont été rendus publics à cette occasion. Sur les cinquante deux participants, l’élève Ondongo Jafruno Meternich a remporté le premier prix devant respectivement Melle Evava Nina Durvine, Ondon Clerc Russell, Elion Pervon Ofson Veder, tous en classe de Première et Ondon Pacôme, en classe Terminale. Un prix exceptionnel, un kit de sport, a été accordé au lycée.  Les prix comprenaient des objets fournis par l’UNIC, l’UNICEF, l’UNHCR et l’OMS.

La cérémonie s’est déroulée en présence de M. Jean Paul Ondon, Inspecteur Coordonnateur de l’Enseignement, de nombreux cadres et enseignants ainsi que de tous les élèves de cet établissement.

A Brazzaville, le Centre d’Information des Nations Unies abrite une exposition sur les droits du 10 au 31 décembre 2008. Cette exposition peut être visitée tous les jours de 9 H à 13 H. Des messages d’élèves sur les droits humains, photos, posters, documents divers des Nations Unies sur la question y sont affichés. Une copie de la Déclaration universelle des droits de l'homme est remise aux visiteurs.

On 10 December 2008 the United Nations System in Armenia, together with the office of the Republic of Armenia Human Rights Defender, the office of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, the European Commission delegation to Armenia and the Special Representative of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe to Armenia, marked the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).

The UN Resident Coordinator spoke to the participants stating, “Sixty years ago, the world leaders committed to recognize that every person is born free and equal in dignity and rights. They recognized that all people have the right to be free, the right to life, to liberty and to security, to education, to have a job, the right to have a dignified life.”

The Republic of Armenia Human Rights Defender in his speech stressed that the UDHR was adopted on the basis of consensus during a period of extreme political tensions. He also noted that education and culture are priorities for the office of Human Rights Defender and expressed conviction that human rights are first of all a way of thinking and then only laws.

The Prime Minister of Armenia also addressed the participants and said, “In the future the most important value will be the human intellect, which means freedom of thinking and an opportunity for education. In order to have a dignified life, human beings should be educated. An illiterate man cannot think about the necessity of freedoms and we cannot build a modern and prosperous country, if we do not have people for whom the rights are acknowledged necessities.”

The UN Communication Group in Armenia prepared a photo exhibition in honour of the commemoration. It included photos from the United Nations archives related to the adoption of the Declaration and its history and photos with a human rights theme. In addition, the artwork of Brazilian artist Octavio Roth, which illustrates the 30 articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, was on exhibit.

The celebration concluded with a reception at the UN House, attended by the Prime Minister, government officials, representatives of the diplomatic corps, civil society and the media.