Damascus, Dec. 10 (SANA) Syria is hosting its first-ever celebration of International Human Rights Day in Damascus, in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates and the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. The event brought together ministers, ambassadors, UN officials, and civil society representatives.
At the opening ceremony, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani said the event coincides with Syria’s Liberation Day. “Today, we mark two important occasions and celebrate the return of Syria as a state that respects and upholds human dignity,” he said. Al-Shaibani added that the day, previously used to condemn the former regime’s human rights violations, now serves as a forum to safeguard rights and dignity.
Mohammad Ali Al Nsour, Chief of the Middle East and North Africa section at the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Office, praised the Syrian people and government, saying: “We could not be celebrating International Human Rights Day in Syria without the struggles of the Syrian people and the government’s commitment to human rights.”
Deputy UN High Commissioner Nada al-Nashif described the day as “a new beginning for human rights in Syria,” adding that the UN is working with the government toward a promising and sustainable future in the field.
