2024 Human Rights Day Commemoration Ceremony Marking the 76th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Our Human Rights, Our Future. Our Rights, Our Future. Right Now.
'Korea Human Rights Award': Honoring Ms. Jang Mi-sook, Chairperson of the Korea Senior Citizens Welfare Movement
□ The National Human Rights Commission of Korea (hereinafter NHRCK), under the leadership of Chairperson Ahn Chang-ho, hosted the 2024 Human Rights Day Commemoration Ceremony on December 10 at 10:30 a.m. at the International Conference Hall, 20th floor of the Korea Press Center in Jung-gu, Seoul. This event honored the 76th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Attendees included former and current NHRCK commissioners, members of the foreign diplomatic missions, and recipients of the Korea Human Rights Award.
□ December 10 marks the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948, celebrated globally as Human Rights Day. This year's theme, “Our Human Rights, Our Future. Right Now,” emphasizes the connection between human rights and everyday life, and their transformative role in fostering a fairer, more inclusive world.
□ Ceremony Highlights
The commemoration featured:
△ Opening video
△ Pledge of Allegiance
△ Remarks by NHRCK Chairperson Ahn Chang-ho, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-sik, Acting Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court Moon Hyung-bae, Ambassador of the European Union to the Republic of Korea Maria Castillo Fernandez, and representatives from the People Power Party and the Democratic Party of Korea
△ Recitation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights from the perspective of children
△ A commemorative sand art performance
△ Presentation of the 2024 Korea Human Rights Awards
□ In his address, Chairperson Ahn stated, “While today we celebrate the progress inspired by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, we are reminded of the challenges ahead. Addressing these requires a collective commitment to the values of human dignity and equality.”
□ Recitation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights from the perspective of children aimed to connect the present and future of human rights. It involved Han Je-ah, a 12-year-old who played a leading role in Asia’s first climate lawsuit. The segment amplified the voices of individuals from socially vulnerable groups, including children with disabilities and migrant children, fostering a deeper understanding of UDHR.
□ A total of 11 people were awarded the 2024 Korea Human Rights Award, including one Order of Civil Merit, one Presidential Citation, four individual and five group awards from the NHRCK.
○ This year's Order of Civil Merit Honor was awarded to Jang Mi-Suk, chairperson of the Korea Senior Welfare Movement Headquarter. Jang Mi-Suk has been at the forefront of protecting and promoting the human rights of older persons, including running a campaign to prevent abuse of older persons and an abuse prevention center, and has been recognized for her contribution to improving the welfare of older persons and spreading a culture of caring for them through various activities, such as cleaning the homes of low-income elderly people living alone, providing free funerals for elderly people living alone with no relatives, and producing and distributing “(Health) Traffic Light ID Cards” for elderly people living alone to provide emergency medical care in case of an emergency.
○ The Presidential Citation was awarded to Park Youn-seok, prosecutor at the Suwon High Prosecutors' Office. The NHRCK Chairperson's Commendation was awarded to △Choi Jin-woo, immigration officer at the Immigration Office of the Ministry of Justice's Incheon Immigration Office △Shin Seok-Cheol, director of the Songpa Mental Disability Peer Support Center △Kim Hye-Sun, chairperson of the Saemmul Certified Labor Attorney Office △Lee Seung-Taek, associate professor at Chungnam National University's School of Law, in the individual category, and △ Gyeonggi-do, △ Jeonbuk Special Self-Governing Province, △Chungcheongbuk-do Human Rights Center, △ Daejeon City Corporation, and △ Seongbuk-gu Management Corporation in the group category.
□ The NHRCK expressed its deepest respect and gratitude to all those who are working hard to protect and promote human rights in all parts of our society on the 76th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and hopes that this event will serve as an opportunity to reflect on the meaning of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
