THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

VIDEO MESSAGE ON HUMAN RIGHTS DAY

New York, 10 December 2009

No country is free of discrimination.

We see it everywhere, in many forms.

Ethnic strife.  Hate speech. Xenophobia. 

Its targets include women, children and the poor.

Migrants. Minorities of all kinds.

They are seen as "different," and excluded from the mainstream.

But they are not alone.  The United Nations stands with them.

The United Nations is committed to defending the rights of all, and particularly the most vulnerable.  That is our identity and our mission.

Discrimination is outlawed by international treaties. But abstract commitments are not enough. We must confront inequality and intolerance wherever they are found.   

On Human Rights day, I call on people everywhere to join the fight against discrimination.

The Secretary-General's Video Message on Human Rights Day (10 December):  

Link in NTSC:
http://downloads.unmultimedia.org/public/tv/SG_MESSAGE_HUMAN_RIGHTS_DAY_2009_en_ntsc.mpg?save

Link in PAL:
http://downloads.unmultimedia.org/public/tv/SG_MESSAGE_HUMAN_RIGHTS_DAY_2009_en_pal.mpg?save

For more information on Human Rights Day 2009 please visit UN website in all official languages:

ARABIC: www.un.org/ar/events/humanrightsday/2009/
CHINESE: www.un.org/zh/events/humanrightsday/2009/
ENGLISH: www.un.org/en/events/humanrightsday/2009/
FRENCH: www.un.org/fr/events/humanrightsday/2009/
RUSSIAN: www.un.org/ru/events/humanrightsday/2009/
SPANISH: www.un.org/es/events/humanrightsday/2009/