Human Rights Day
Human Rights Day is observed every year on 10 December – the day on which the United Nations General Assembly adopted, in 1948, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights empowers us all. The principles enshrined in the Declaration are as relevant today as they were in 1948. We need to stand up for our own rights and those of others. We can take action in our own daily lives, to uphold the rights that protect us all and thereby promote the kinship of all human beings.
Human Rights Flag
Human rights seem so self-evident, but these rights are still under discussion worldwide on a daily basis, also in our safe, democratic Netherlands. To show that human rights are important, the national anti-discrimination facilities are launching the Human Rights Flag. This flag is a symbol for the equality of every person on this earth. With the Human Rights Flag governments, companies, organizations and individuals can show that they respect and support human rights. This flag does not exist anywhere in the world yet and is therefore a unique Dutch initiative.
The Human Rights Flag is a symbol for the equality of every person on this earth. The flag emphasizes positivity and where we want to go with the world. The Human Rights Flag belongs to and is meant for everyone. It is a colorful flag with a thoughtful design. There is a lot that connects us as humans: we share the earth we walk on, the sky we look at and a place under the sun. And no matter how different we can be in appearance, as humans we are all made up of DNA. The designer went to work with this idea and took the shape of a DNA curve as a starting point. He combined this with the colors of the earth (green), the sky (blue) and the sun (yellow). This is how the Human Rights Flag was created. The flag does not emphasize where we differ, but rather what we have in common, what we share and what connects us.
On December 10, UCR will proudly hoist the Human Rights Flag. As UCR Professor in Human Rights, Barbara Oomen put it: “The Universal Declaration of Human Rights empowers us all. The principles enshrined in the Declaration are as relevant today as they were in 1948. We need to stand up for our own rights and those of others. We can take action in our own daily lives, to uphold the rights that protect us all and thereby promote the kinship of all human beings”.
Cities of Refuge Podcast
On December 10, Cities of Refuge also publishes its first podcast. Created by Barbara Oomen, Moritz Baumgärtel, Elif Durmus, Sara Miellet, and Tihomir Sabchev, the podcast broaches the crucial yet often overlooked role of local government in regulating migration and promoting the rights of migrants and refugees.
Localities across Europe have responded to the humanitarian crisis on Lesbos and other Greeks islands by declaring their willingness to receive refugees. In the Netherlands, likewise, they have continued to put pressure on a reluctant national government. In the first episode of the podcast, Barbara Oomen and Moritz Baumgärtel discuss the most recent developments related to the transfer of 100 unaccompanied minors and vulnerable migrants to the Netherlands and the broader lessons that we can draw from the Dutch debate.