Sixty years of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights - The Defenders take the floor, Brussel

Atomium in Brussel
© Kevin Bergenhenegouwen
datum 7 oktober 2008 - 8 oktober 2008
plaats Brussel, Belgie
aanwezigen B. (Benita) Ferrero-Waldner i, H.-G. (Hans-Gert) Pöttering i e.a.
organisatie Europese Commissie (EC) i

2008 is the celebration year of the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of human rights. In order to recall its deep attachment to the common values and to celebrate this event, the European Commission, the European Parliament and the United Nations organise an anniversary conference with High level experts.

Mrs Navanethem Pillay, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights; Mrs Benita Ferrero-Waldner, EC Commissioner for External Relations and European neighbourhood policy; Mr Hans-Gert Pöttering, President, European Parliament; Mrs Souyer Belhassen, President, International Federation for Human Rights; Mr Eric Sottas, Secretary General, World Organization Against Torture; Mrs Margaret Sekaggya, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of Human Rights Defenders; Mr Thomas Hammarberg, Commissioner for Human Rights, Council of Europe; Mr Kenneth Roth, Executive Director, Human Rights Watch as well as Human Rights Defenders from several countries will be among the speakers.

After the presentation of a trailer of the film "Stories on Human Rights" by Filmmakers, Artists and Writers, two working sessions will take place:

  • 1. 
    Human Rights Defenders: Activists for democracy, in danger
  • 2. 
    Journalists: Human Rights Defenders for the right to the freedom of expression

1.

Achtergrond

Representing a vision and a solemn commitment to the inherent dignity and equality of all human beings, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights has been and will continue to be a guiding light for the work of the UN and the EU.

The conference aims to reaffirm and illustrate the scope of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights through the work of human rights defenders across the globe. It will provide an opportunity to explore and understand more of the reality on the ground for human rights defenders in 2008, by discussing concrete situations and experiences with them.

It will also be an occasion to review the support mechanisms put in place by the European Union and the United Nations, ten years after the adoption of the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, four years after the approval of the European Union Guidelines and fifteen years after the Vienna Declaration.

2.

Bijeenkomst

In order to show their continuing commitment to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the European Commission, the European Parliament and the United Nations organise an anniversary conference which will take place at the European Parliament in Brussels

  • • 
    Available on EbS

3.

Bronnen

Anniversary conference's website

http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/where/worldwide/eidhr

(N.B. Information not yet available to date)

Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner's website:

http://ec.europa.eu/commission_barroso/ferrero-waldner/index_fr.htm

4.

Perscontacten

Christiane Hohmann +32 2 299 1196 christiane.hohman@ec.europa.eu

Anja Fiedler +32 2 298 0385 anja.fiedler@ec.europa.eu


5.

Europese Commissie (EC)

Deze instelling van de Europese Unie kan worden beschouwd als het 'dagelijks bestuur' van de EU. De leden van de Europese Commissie worden 'Eurocommissarissen i' genoemd. Elke Eurocommissaris is verantwoordelijk voor één of meerdere beleidsgebieden. Momenteel zijn er 26 Eurocommissarissen. In principe is er voor iedere lidstaat één. Samen vormen zij het college van Eurocommissarissen. De Eurocommissarissen moeten het belang van de Europese Unie als geheel behartigen, niet dat van hun eigen land.

De Europese Commissie mag als enige EU-instelling wetsvoorstellen indienen; zij heeft het zogenaamde recht van initatief. Daarnaast controleert de Commissie of de Europese wetgeving juist wordt toegepast in de lidstaten, onderhandelt zij in internationale organisaties als de Wereldhandelsorganisatie (WTO) i over de handel van de Unie met het 'buitenland' en is zij verantwoordelijk voor het beheer van de Europese begroting van ongeveer 140 miljard euro per jaar.

6.

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