Human rights

Intervention by Mrs Illario Esposito, Member of the CoE Advisory Council on Youth, at the European Leadership Conference on the theme, "Human Rights: Are Democratic Nations Upholding a Better Standard?",  held on November 21-22, 2013, in the Houses of Parliament, London, United Kingdom.

Intervention by Rev. Dr. Marcus Braybrooke, President, World Congress of Faiths, United Kingdom, at the European Leadership Conference on the theme, "Human Rights: Are Democratic Nations Upholding a Better Standard?",  held on November 21-22, 2013, in the Houses of Parliament, London, United Kingdom.

Intervention by Mark Brann, Secretary General, UPF Europe, at the European Leadership Conference on the theme, "Human Rights: Are Democratic Nations Upholding a Better Standard?",  held on November 21-22, 2013, in the Houses of Parliament, London, United Kingdom.

Is there a distinction to be made between “cults” or “sects” and religions? Should religious freedom be only accessible to so-called historical religions and their members? Should other minority religious or spiritual movements called “sects” or “cults” be denied the enjoyment of the provisions of international declarations and covenants guaranteeing freedom of religion or belief?

I would like to use these brief remarks to offer some perspectives on the notion of “multiculturalism,” and to share my concerns, as a human rights advocate, about threats to fundamental human rights in Europe posed by some interpretations of multiculturalism.

The UN Convention  on the Rights of the Child (United  Nations  1989, CRC) is a binding international  contract in the framework of the United Nations, and thus obliges legally the ratifying  nations  – indeed  all UN  members  besides  the  United  States  and  Somalia  – to implement  its  provisions.  This  is a mayor  milestone  to  recognise  children,  i.e.  everyone under  the  age  of  18,  as  citizens  with  human  rights,  and  consequently  responsibilities. Through  this  convention,  children  are  conceived  as subjects  of society  – like  all human beings  – and  not anymore  as mere  objects  of protection  (Verhellen  2000).

Ms. Illario Esposito, member of the Council of Europe Advisory Council on Youth and Trainer in Human Rights Education, first showed a video about the Advisory Council on Youth for the Council of Europe dealing with human rights (see www.coe.int/enter). She explained that In terms of human rights education, the Council of Europe speaks about all the issues that young people are facing today.

The European Union is often criticized by people like me for a wide range of alleged policy and administrative failures regarding human rights.  Today, however, I would like to use this opportunity to attest to the importance of Europe’s role in promoting and protecting human rights, which I can do on the basis of my own experience and reflection.

Distinguished guests, Ambassadors for Peace, Ladies & Gentlemen! As Chair of Universal Peace Federation in Europe, it is truly an honour and a privilege to be able to extend a warm welcome to you all to the European Economic and Social Committee here in Brussels and to our European Leadership Conference on the theme “What more can Europe do to improve Human Rights?”

Mr. Jura Nanuk, founder and president of the Central-European Religious Freedom Institute (CERFI) based in Budapest, Hungary, spoke on the topic of “Religious Freedom in Hungary and the New Law on Minority Faiths”. Mr. Nanuk said he was inspired to start his institute by an anonymous quote, “Sometimes I want to ask Godwhy He allows poverty, famine and injustice in the world, but I’m afraid He may ask me the same question.”

Human rights have high priority in our culture. Which role do they have in peacebuilding? Mr. Ed Brown, from the Stefanus Alliance International, was an effective moderator.

London, UK - UPF-Europe organized an International Leadership Conference in London December 8-10 on the theme 'Commemorating Human Rights Day 2011: How Far Have We Progressed?'

Intervention by Dr. Bashy Quraishy
Conference on the topic « Multiculturalism: A contribution to Peace ? »
United Nations Office Geneva • Room XIX (19), Geneva, 23 September, 2011

Report on sessions 3-7 at the European Leadership Conference Tour 2011 - Geneva, Switzerland, March 25-26, 2011.

Session 2: “Interreligious Cooperation and the Prevention of Incitement to National, Religious, and Racial Hatred” at the European Leadership Conference Tour 2011 - Geneva, Switzerland, March 25-26, 2011.

Session I: Human Rights and Dignity: A New Paradigm for an Intercultural World, at the European Leadership Conference Tour 2011 - Geneva, Switzerland, March 25-26, 2011.

Remarks by Dr. Aaron Rhodes, Conference on Interreligious Cooperation and The Prevention of Incitement to National, Racial and Religious Hatred, United Nations Office Geneva • Room XXIV (24) • 14:00 - 16:30, Geneva, 25 March 2011.

European Leadership Conference (March 25- 26) Opening Plenary - World Council of Churches, Geneva, Switzerland. Welcoming address of Dr. Yong Cheol Song, Chair, Universal Peace Federation, Europe.

Statement by Prof. em. Dr. Christian Brünner, University of Graz, Institute for Austrian, European and Comparative Public Law, Political Sciences and Public Administration at the European Leadership Conference, Geneva, 24.-26.3.2011.