Sudanese women and girls march in El Fasher, North Darfur, to celebrate International Women’s Day Sudanese women and girls march in El Fasher, North Darfur, to celebrate International Women’s Day
Sudanese women and girls march in El Fasher, North Darfur, to celebrate International Women's Day. UN Photo/Olivier Chassot

Events

9 December

Panel discussion on Human Rights Up Front

An opportunity to take stock of the Secretary-General's initiative launched two years ago

United Nations Headquarters, ECOSOC Chamber, 3 p.m.

The event focuses on the transformative potential of Human Rights up Front, an initiative by the UN Secretary-General to improve UN action to safeguard human rights around the world

Speakers:

Moderator: Somini Sengupta, UN Bureau Chief for the New York Times

RSVP for the panel discussion

The event will be webcast live at webtv.un.org

10 December

Flower laying ceremony at the Four Freedoms Park

A symbolic event to mark Human Rights Day and honour the memories of Franklin D. Roosevelt and Eleanor Roosevelt, two major advocates for the United Nations

Roosevelt Island, Four Freedoms Park, 12:30 p.m.

This year Human Rights Day highlights 'Freedoms,' recalling the four freedoms that underlie the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and two major human rights covenants. In his “four freedoms speech” in 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt offered a vision. His wife, Eleanor, was instrumental in helping that vision finds its way into human rights treaties.

Speakers:

  • Ambassador William vanden Heuvel, Chairman of the Four Freedoms Park
  • Jan Eliasson, UN Deputy Secretary-General
  • Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
  • Penny Abeywardena, New York City Commissioner for International Affairs

Moderator: Cristina Gallach, UN Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information

RSVP for the ceremony

Directions to Four Freedoms Park: Take the tram located at the intersection of 59th Street & 2nd Avenue in Manhattan. Travel time is approximately 4-5 mins. Exit on Roosevelt Island and walk approximately 15 minutes south to Park. Or take the F train to the Roosevelt Island stop and walk approximately 15 minutes south to Park. Please note there is no parking at Four Freedoms Park and only very limited parking on Roosevelt Island.

The Economic Cost of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Exclusion

An interactive discussion on the economic costs of exclusion and benefits of inclusion of LGBT individuals from the business, State and civil society perspectives, and first screening of new UN Free & Equal campaign video “The Price of Exclusion”

United Nations Headquarters, Trusteeship Council Room, 3 p.m.

Opening by H.E. Mogens Lykketoft, President of the 70th session of the General Assembly

Speakers:

  • Dr. Lee Badgett, Lead researcher, World Bank study on the cost of homophobia
  • Dan Bross, Senior Director, Corporate Citizenship, Microsoft
  • Kasha Jacqueline Nabagesera, Ugandan LGBTI human rights defender
  • Charles Radcliffe, UN Free & Equal campaign director

Moderator: Marcus Mabry, Managing Editor, Twitter Moments

RSVP for the interactive discussion

#FreeAndEqual #ThePrice

This event will be livestreamed via Facebook: facebook.com/unitednationshumanrights

Screening of "Quebranto" / "Disrupted"

A film screening organized by ENVISION, the United Nations Creative Community Outreach Initiative's longstanding partnership with the Independent Filmmaker Project (IFP), and presented in association with “Free & Equal,” the United Nations campaign for LGBT equality
Made in NY Media Center by IFP, 30 John Street, Brooklyn, 6:30 p.m.

A conversation with special guests from the United Nations, The Asylum Project, the Hetrick Martin Institute and the Swedish Federation for LGBTQ Rights will follow the screening.

RSVP for the film screening using the password "quebranto"

NGO Briefing: Our Rights Our Freedoms Always

A discussion focused on “Freedom” on the occasion of the upcoming 50th anniversary of International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Culture Rights

United Nations Headquarters, Conference room 4, 11 a.m.

Blending discussion with various multimedia clips and interactive performances, this session aims to raise awareness of the four freedoms that underlie the Universal Declaration for Human Rights and the two covenants on civil and political, and social, economic and cultural rights.

Special performance by students from the Carrie E. Tompkins Elementary School, Croton-Harmon, New York;
Recitals of Universal Declaration of Human Rights articles by Yale University and St. John's University students.

RSVP for the NGO briefing

The event will be webcast live at webtv.un.org

#DPINGO #StickToAGoal

Events in Geneva