SINGAPORE JOINS THE WORLD IN COMMEMORATING THE 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS
Some 20 groups and associations have come together to commemorate a series of events over a period of more than three weeks, starting from 29 November 2008.
The series of events ranging from an exhibition, talks, film screening, story-telling, organised by individuals and partner organisations is a collective effort to raise awareness to the values inherent in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Participating organisations include Asian Film Archive, Association of Women for Action and Research (AWARE), The Delegation of the European Commission to Singapore, the French Embassy, Humanitarian Organisation for Migration Economics (HOME), Institute of South East Asian Studies, InteresThink, NUS Pro Bono Group, ONE (SINGAPORE) Singapore Council of Women Organisations (SCWO), Singapore Institute of International Affairs, Society of Financial Service Professionals, Storytelling Association (Singapore), Transient Workers Count Too (TWC2), UNIFEM National Committee Singapore, UN Association of Singapore, UN Youth Association of Singapore and WESearch!.
This U60 celebration is an effort by a group of young individuals whose aspirations are to get more organisations to start talking about human rights in Singapore.
Giving support to this initiative are two organising partners – MARUAH (Singapore Working Group for an ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism) and The Online Citizen. All events are open to the public and media, free of charge. Please refer to the U60 Events Flyer for details. An official media launch of the commemorative event will be held on 2 December.
Photo & Interview Opportunities
Your reporter and photographer/cameraman are invited to cover this media launch event which is open to full media coverage. The details are as follows:
Date : 2 December 2008 (Tuesday)
Time : 4.00 pm (Please arrive by 3.45pm to facilitate registration)
Venue : Level 7, National Library Building
100, Victoria Street
Singapore 188064
Guest Of Honour :
Mr Siew Kum Hong
Nominated Member of Parliament
Speakers :
Clara Feng
Co-chair, U60 Organising Committee
Braema Mathi
Chairperson, MARUAH (Singapore Working Group for an ASEAN Human
Rights Mechanism)
Choo Zheng Xi
Editor-in-chief, The Online Citizen
H.E. Mr Holger Standertskjold-Nordenstam
Ambassador and Head of the Delegation of the European Commission to Singapore
Representatives of partner organizations
Please call Mr Benedict Jacob-Thambiah (Tel: 9003 7566) or Mr Lee Sze Yong (Tel: 9151 1760) to register the names of your representatives.
Please RSVP by Monday 1 December 2008, 5.00 p.m.
Thank you. We look forward to seeing you.
Issued on behalf of the U60 organising committee.
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Media Contacts
For media enquiries, please contact:
Benedict Jacob-Thambiah
Mobile: 9003 7566
Email: [email protected]
Lee Sze Yong
Mobile: 9151 1760
Email: [email protected]
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About U60
U60 is a campaign that celebrates the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), which adopts the UN theme “Dignity and Justice for all of us”.
U60 is a collaborative effort by the U60 Team with organising partners MARUAH Singapore and The Online Citizen, and participating organisations, to commemorate the 60 years of the UDHR.
About Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) is a declaration adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 10 December 1948 at Palais de Chaillot, Paris. The Declaration arose directly from the experience of the Second World War and represents the first global expression of rights to which all human beings are inherently entitled. It consists of 30 articles which have been elaborated in subsequent international treaties, regional human rights instruments, national constitutions and laws.
The International Bill of Human Rights consists of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and its two Optional Protocols.
In 1966 the General Assembly adopted the two detailed Covenants, which complete the International Bill of Human Rights; and in 1976, after the Covenants had been ratified by a sufficient number of individual nations, the Bill took on the force of international law.
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PROGRAMME FOR THE U60 MEDIA LAUNCH
4.00 PM Media and Guests to be seated
4.05 PM Welcome statement by Clara Feng
Co-chair, U60 Organising Committee
4.10 PM Statement by
Braema Mathi
Chairperson, MARUAH (Singapore Working Group for an ASEAN Human Rights
Mechanism)
4.15 PM Statement by
Choo Zheng Xi
Editor-in-chief, The Online Citizen
4.20 PM Statement by
H.E. Mr Holger Standertskjold-Nordenstam
Ambassador and Head of the Delegation of the European Commission to
Singapore
4.25 PM Remarks by Guest-of-Honour
Mr Siew Kum Hong
Nominated Member of Parliament
4.40 PM Presentation of U60 Activities and Slideshow
4.40 PM Q & A
5.00 PM Closing remarks by
Clara Feng
Co-chair, U60 Organising Committee
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