President Abdullah Gül's Message on World Human Rights Day
10.12.2009
We celebrate today the 61st anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. With the U.N. calling this important anniversary, which emphasises ‘embracing diversities' and ‘ending segregation', the whole world is once again reminded of the incontestable importance and unalienability of human rights.
Even though international conventions on human rights ban every kind of segregation, we must admit that there is no country with a perfect record regarding this.
It is unfortunate that today, many people are being discriminated against for different reasons and even such attitudes which have caused humanity to suffer untold agonies in the past, such as apartheid, xenophobia and intolerance are recurring. It is both thought-provoking and depressing that some circles are inciting such tendencies for populist purposes that clearly conflict with the common values and principles of humanity. So we should always remember that the fight against every sort of ethnic or religious discrimination and extremism is not merely an ideal, but also the foundation stone for nations to live in peace.
In the struggle against segregation, there should be democratic, transparent, responsible, participatory and pluralist administrations that can be called to account for their actions, and which are committed to the principle of the supremacy of the law. In preventing discrimination, it is crucial to be sensitive to the needs and demands of individuals. It is clear that it is not only the administrations but the media and NGOs also who have important responsibilities in this respect. These bodies should be partners to administrations, putting into practice efforts and initiatives to prevent discrimination.
All our citizens are equal and respected individuals to us whatever their religion, ethnicity or ideology. They are partners in the fate of the life of the nation. This is the approach of the modern Turkish Republic. After all, in a modern state, there is no discrimination on the basis of religion or cult or whatever. All our citizens can take advantage of the blessings of our country.
Our individual differences are our assets and our common identity is our power. The understanding that there should be no discrimination against any citizen, and that equality is one of the most important endowments to give significance to human rights, has been adopted in our constitution and laws.
That tolerance and respect for diversity embedded in our national character and forming an indispensible part of our social culture can be outwardly realised only if we continue amending the regulations on human rights. Both our state and our people have the necessary determination for that to happen.
As a member of the international circle which has adopted the principle of the unalienability of human rights, I congratulate all our citizens and all the peoples of the world on their World Human Rights Day and wholeheartedly wish them all a peaceful and prosperous future.
Even though international conventions on human rights ban every kind of segregation, we must admit that there is no country with a perfect record regarding this.
It is unfortunate that today, many people are being discriminated against for different reasons and even such attitudes which have caused humanity to suffer untold agonies in the past, such as apartheid, xenophobia and intolerance are recurring. It is both thought-provoking and depressing that some circles are inciting such tendencies for populist purposes that clearly conflict with the common values and principles of humanity. So we should always remember that the fight against every sort of ethnic or religious discrimination and extremism is not merely an ideal, but also the foundation stone for nations to live in peace.
In the struggle against segregation, there should be democratic, transparent, responsible, participatory and pluralist administrations that can be called to account for their actions, and which are committed to the principle of the supremacy of the law. In preventing discrimination, it is crucial to be sensitive to the needs and demands of individuals. It is clear that it is not only the administrations but the media and NGOs also who have important responsibilities in this respect. These bodies should be partners to administrations, putting into practice efforts and initiatives to prevent discrimination.
All our citizens are equal and respected individuals to us whatever their religion, ethnicity or ideology. They are partners in the fate of the life of the nation. This is the approach of the modern Turkish Republic. After all, in a modern state, there is no discrimination on the basis of religion or cult or whatever. All our citizens can take advantage of the blessings of our country.
Our individual differences are our assets and our common identity is our power. The understanding that there should be no discrimination against any citizen, and that equality is one of the most important endowments to give significance to human rights, has been adopted in our constitution and laws.
That tolerance and respect for diversity embedded in our national character and forming an indispensible part of our social culture can be outwardly realised only if we continue amending the regulations on human rights. Both our state and our people have the necessary determination for that to happen.
As a member of the international circle which has adopted the principle of the unalienability of human rights, I congratulate all our citizens and all the peoples of the world on their World Human Rights Day and wholeheartedly wish them all a peaceful and prosperous future.
