(3rd Meeting) 20th International Human Rights Summit
Meetings & Events
Date: 31 July 2026
Language: English
Transcript: https://transcripts.un.org/en/asset/k10/k10njs7suo
Transcripts available through this tool are created by using automatic speech recognition and are not official records nor official documents of the United Nations. Official records and official documents are available on the Official Document System of the United Nations.

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Moderator [38:47]:

Good morning, everyone. We are getting started.


Speaker 2 [38:52]:

Woohoo!


Moderator [38:56]:

Happy Friday! I'll have everyone take their seats now.


Speaker 4 [39:03]:

Greg?


Moderator [39:13]:

All right, everyone, we are getting started, if you can hear me. Don't know if you can. Wow, thank you. Wow, snaps for over there in the front side. Okay, in the back, can you hear me? Thumbs up if you can hear me. Yes, okay, great. Well, now it's my official happy Friday. Welcome to day 2 of the 20th International Human Rights Summit. Did everyone catch up last night, get some good food, get some good sleep, and make some new friends?


Speaker 6 [39:44]:

Yes. Good.


Moderator [39:47]:

Okay, well, we have an incredible, incredible speaker to kick off our second day of the summit. She is an icon in many communities and a true friend of Youth for Human Rights International. It is my great privilege to introduce Dr. Queen Mother Deloah Blakely, Chief Executive Officer of the New Future Foundation, the community mayor of Harlem, and Goodwill Ambassador to Africa. Please give her a very warm welcome.


Speaker 8 [40:19]:

Thank you.


CEO · Dr. Queen Mother Deloah Blakely [40:51]:

It is so wonderful to have heard your spirit with each other this morning during meditation time. How you were reflecting with each other and enjoying each other this morning. I want all us just to remember everything is in divine order, whether we understand. I'm speaking to the youth. Queen Mother was meditating on you. The moon was out early this morning. If you looked out of your window into the sea, the moon was above your head this morning. Queen Mother has been around the United Nations for 58 years and as a humanitarian. Queen Mother is going on 85 years old. Queen Mother is about to embark on her last will and testament. for 3 years. And it's about you, the youth, that I am doing it. It's about you that I am going to embark on a journey crisscrossing the world to see you and all your colleagues that will never, probably ever, have been to the United Nations where you are. You are the elite group that's representing young people From all over the planet Earth, that's who you are. You have a responsibility for the rest of the youth that are waiting for you. I listen to the conditions as you speak. Spoke about the world yesterday. Queen Mother heard you. Education. Quality education. You deserve education. Exercising your innate gifts, only the Creator, only God can give you. Understand the working of your mind, your brain from left to right. It's a gift was given to you. Use it well. And attaining your education is a gift. Use your gifts that has been given to you. Human rights Echo, human rights. Human rights. We spoke about it yesterday in many ways, in many forms, as we give thanks today that you'll be speaking about human rights Everyone has a right to food. Everyone has a right to be clothed from the elements of life, climate change. Everyone has a right to shelter. Everyone. Give thanks. Give thanks. Give thanks. As we embraced each other yesterday, I felt you. We felt each other through our senses yesterday. Harmony was in the room. Love was in the room. Coming from different parts of the world was in this room. And the spirit energy that you carried yesterday was in this room. What a beautiful room we had yesterday. And when most of you left here, Queen Mother's in a prayer and she talking to you. Most of you, I know, just hearing you this morning, Had a peaceful night.


Speaker 10 [47:40]:

Peace.

Peace.


CEO · Dr. Queen Mother Deloah Blakely [47:43]:

Some of you slept like little babies for the first time and you enjoyed it because when you arrived here this morning, I felt you. You came in with peace.


Speaker 12 [48:02]:

Yes.


CEO · Dr. Queen Mother Deloah Blakely [48:03]:

Love communicating and dialoguing with each other. What a blessing you are to each other. You're blessing each other. As you move today in this spiritual reflection and prayers, That we're doing right now. You are in a prayer. You are receiving blessings from each other. The Creator, the Great One, the Almighty One, Whatever name you may call that force greater than yourselves. Queen Mother speak to you young people as the hip-hop Queen Mother. Boogie down the Bronx.


Speaker 14 [49:25]:

Yes.


CEO · Dr. Queen Mother Deloah Blakely [49:26]:

That's who I am. Intergenerational. Love you and adore you as Mary does. She just loves you. Where did she get that from? We don't know, but she loves you. Over 25 years, she been loving you. Before she was born, she was loving you. As I leave with you young people, And the image and likeness of that force greater than yourselves. That's who you are. The world is waiting for you. There's a change. There is a win happening. Here at the United Nations, a new Secretary-General. We're in search of— you are part of that, young people. Come with your blessings to this institution where you're at. Bring your best to us as you shape the world you want.


Speaker 16 [51:05]:

Thank you.


CEO · Dr. Queen Mother Deloah Blakely [51:09]:

Just shape your world from your inner selves, your sacred space, your holiness, your goodness. Continue to hold mercy. And above all, justice, human rights, justice for all. Justice, human rights is what we've been speaking of for a whole day yesterday. Hold on to it. Implement it. Make it happen. Change the world. Change the world that you want. Shape the world that you will embody as we pass the legacy on to you. Just one other thing I want to say to you. Peace. Peace.


Speaker 18 [52:40]:

Peace.


CEO · Dr. Queen Mother Deloah Blakely [52:41]:

Peace.


Speaker 20 [52:43]:

Peace. Peace.


CEO · Dr. Queen Mother Deloah Blakely [52:53]:

Peace. Peace comes with sacrifices. Come with sacrifices.


Speaker 22 [53:01]:

Peace.


CEO · Dr. Queen Mother Deloah Blakely [53:02]:

The word peace.


Speaker 24 [53:06]:

Goodness.

Justice.

Peace.


CEO · Dr. Queen Mother Deloah Blakely [53:11]:

That's what I heard you say. Peace, Queen Mother.


Speaker 26 [53:15]:

Peace.


CEO · Dr. Queen Mother Deloah Blakely [53:16]:

Peace be unto you.


Speaker 28 [53:18]:

Amen.


CEO · Dr. Queen Mother Deloah Blakely [53:19]:

Peace given to you.


Speaker 30 [53:20]:

Yes.


CEO · Dr. Queen Mother Deloah Blakely [53:22]:

Peace endure you.


Speaker 32 [53:24]:

Yes.


CEO · Dr. Queen Mother Deloah Blakely [53:25]:

Peace begins with you. There are those who sacrifice peace, like Bishop Tutu. Sacrifice for peace. Nelson Mandela, Mandiva. Malala, Malala, Malala, sacrifice for peace. Harriet Tubman, sacrifice for peace. Chairman Lee Allen, he sacrificed for peace. And I will say this to you and ask you to say it with Queen Mother: peace be still.


Speaker 34 [54:29]:

Peace be still.


CEO · Dr. Queen Mother Deloah Blakely [54:33]:

Peace, be still. Peace, be still.


Moderator [54:54]:

I know we're all very grateful to have the Queen Mother in our presence today. Let's give her a round of applause. I'd like to just take a moment once again to thank all of our wonderful permanent missions who are co-sponsoring today. We're very grateful to have you in the audience, and we hope that you, too, get a lot out of this summit. So up next, we will have the next public service announcement. This is human right number 12, the right to privacy. Okay. Well, always a treat with tech difficulties, but we'll bring you that one for a second showing later today. Next up, we have— it's my pleasure to introduce Dr. Sean P. Duffy, the Executive Director of the Albert Schweitzer Institute, preserving the legacy of Dr. Albert Schweitzer, 1952 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate.


Speaker 37 [56:38]:

Thank you.


Executive Director · Dr. Sean P. Duffy [56:52]:

I can be low-tech. Allow me first to add my voice to the chorus of congratulations for 25 years of doing this work. Excellent work, and I'm so happy to see so many young people taking it up.


Speaker 39 [57:06]:

Thank you.


Executive Director · Dr. Sean P. Duffy [57:11]:

So some reflections or images of day 1 that stick with me. I'm thinking from St. Kitts and Nevis, the ambassador talked about daily practices of peace. And then from the youth delegate from St. Kitts and Nevis, he talked about acting in hope or acting out of hope, which I— which really struck me. Trish Dugan, invoked Eleanor Roosevelt and her well-cited and well-acknowledged maxim that human rights is a practice that begins at home. She also mentioned that the future of humanity will not be determined by technology, economics, or politics, but will be determined by character and values, things that I think that we should be holding true in this room. Tabogo Joy Ngoma talked about the importance of stories, the stories we tell and the stories that are told to us. And then Ash Pachauri mentioned that planetary health, human health, human rights, and peace are not separate conversations. They're all one conversation. Excellencies, Delegates, ladies and gentlemen, I'd like you to keep these ideas in mind in what I have to say. So while we celebrate and promote universal human rights, I'd like to invite you all to think about expanding our ethical grounding. For the last 9 years, I've had the pleasure to represent the legacy of Dr. Albert Schweitzer, one of the 20th century's most globally recognized humanitarians. Schweitzer, born in 1875, was a philosopher, a theologian, a musician, already making a name for himself in Europe when at the age of 30 he decided to commit the rest of his life to serving humanity. He trained as a medical doctor, and then established a hospital in French Equatorial Africa, from which he spent the rest of his life building, supporting, and serving the peoples of what is now the country of Gabon. He was recognized for his work with the Nobel Peace Prize in 1952. Although Schweitzer did not participate in the drafting of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, his philosophy, and humanitarian example contributed to the intellectual and moral atmosphere that made the Universal Declaration possible. His voice joined a chorus of mid-century moral figures such as Gandhi with his nonviolence, Jacques Maritain, his Christian humanism, and Hannah Arendt's reflections on dignity.


Speaker 41 [1:00:09]:

Thank you.


Executive Director · Dr. Sean P. Duffy [1:00:11]:

All of whom helped shape the ethical soil in which the Universal Declaration took root. I would like to argue today that Schweitzer's ideas and actions continue to provide inspiration for the moral atmosphere we are currently developing and for the obligations and responsibilities we bear to one another and to the natural world as we consider what is required for building and maintaining a peaceful world in the times to come. While Schweitzer was recognized during his life for his humanitarian work, his theological contributions, and his skill as an organist and interpreter of Bach, it was his philosophy of reverence for life that he saw as his major accomplishment. Having studied the world's religions and philosophical traditions, Schweitzer sought a universal ethical principle. He found it in the realization that all life is animated by a will to live and to thrive, and that this will is worthy of reverence. Every living thing, he said, is animated by this will to live among other beings animated by a will to live. The highest ethical principle, then, is to recognize this and to strive to promote and protect life. Schweitzer's universalist ethic resonated with the spirit of the times that produced the UN— the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. His humanitarian work and his complex position as a European confronting colonial legacies in Africa placed him within the postwar ferment that challenged hierarchies of racism and privilege. After receiving the Nobel Peace Prize, Schweitzer joined the postwar peace movement. His 1957 declaration of conscience against nuclear weapons exemplified how his moral authority extended beyond medicine into global debates about survival and collective responsibility. There was nothing more antithetical to a reverence for life than the development and potential use of nuclear weapons. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, in its articulation of the rights and responsibilities we bear as human beings, contributed to the development of a moral framework that has largely promoted and maintained peace for the last 70 or more years. Yet this framework does not fully equip us to confront the challenges of building and maintaining peace in the face of today's crises. Here, too, Schweitzer can help us. Schweitzer's philosophy of reverence for life contributed to the universalist aspirations that recognized human dignity in the face of racial hierarchies and privilege in the 20th century. But Schweitzer's principle went further. It recognized that all living things are deserving of dignity and protection. 20th century animal rights and environmentalist thinkers consistently referenced his thought and example. In the 21st century, we must expand our thinking around human rights to include the relationship between human beings and other living things if we are to promote and maintain peace in the face of biodiversity loss, climate change, and the disruption these crises are already bringing to both human and natural worlds. We must, in other words, go even beyond Schweitzer's principle, which obligated the individual to protect and support all life. Arne Naas introduced us to the principle of deep ecology, which similarly recognized the intrinsic value of all living things. But also called for a fundamental restructuring of human society to place humans and their needs in the context of a larger ecological community. Indigenous cultures have long maintained such frameworks. We need to recenter this thinking, to bring Indigenous and other voices into the main conversation, if we want to continue to build peace. Schweitzer's ethic of reverence for life gives us one touchpoint as we take on this project. Thank you.


Moderator [1:04:54]:

Okay, we're going to give it another go with human right number 12, the right to privacy.


Speaker 44 [1:05:06]:

Oh, it's a letter for Ned.

Maybe she wants us to give it to him.

Read it, read it, read it, read it, read it.

Read it, read it, read it, read it, read it, read it, read it, read it, read it, read it, read it, read it, read it, read it, read it, read it, read it, read it, read it.

Here, I think you dropped this.


Moderator [1:06:07]:

And now we're honored to introduce His Excellency Dr. Bertrand Ramcharoen, former Acting United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.


Speaker 46 [1:06:16]:

Thank you. Thank you.


OHCHR · former Acting High Commissioner for Human Rights · Dr. Bertrand Ramcharan [1:06:41]:

I'm going to address the young people, the fellows, to begin with. Young people, you are here to discuss human rights education, and you have brought enormous force from your experiences, and you're sharing your reflections. You're impassioned about justice, and you want vigorous action. And what I want to say to you, if I may, is that I spent 3 and a half years in the peace negotiations during the wars in Yugoslavia. And so when you come to education for peace, I'll address that issue in a moment. And then when it comes to the Human Rights Summit and education in human rights, I will address that issue as well. Now, there is a lot of goodwill and there is a lot of energy in this room. But at the end of the day, if we want to move the agenda forward, we have to have concrete ideas and forms of action that can help to take us forward. So I would like to ask us, if it comes to education for peace, what is the idea? that you as young people can advance in your own countries and in your own societies. Ambassador Namboka and I worked together in the Office of the High Commissioner, and in 2002 he accompanied me to Ivory Coast in the midst of a war there, and we flew from Abidjan to Yamoussoukro, And then we drove up in the midst of violence to a city called Bouaké. And the rebel leader in Bouaké was a man, a young man, 30 years of age, called Guillaume Soro. And Guillaume Soro, the moment we entered the room, Guillaume Soro said, Monsieur le Haut-Commissaire, ici nous luttons pour le respect.


Speaker 48 [1:09:01]:

Thank you.


OHCHR · former Acting High Commissioner for Human Rights · Dr. Bertrand Ramcharan [1:09:03]:

Mr. High Commissioner, here we are fighting for respect. Young people, I want to say to you, if I may, that Guillaume Soro's idea of respect is an idea that you may take forward. Now, when it comes to education for peace, former Secretary-General Kofi Annan submitted a report to the General Assembly of this body here. on the prevention of conflicts, and what he said to the membership was, let there be in every country of the world a national prevention system to prevent conflicts from taking place. It's not an easy issue, this issue of the prevention of conflicts. So young people, I ask you to think about this idea of a national prevention system in your own countries. When we had the panel yesterday of all of the former— how shall I say— participants in the program, you could hear them speaking about their own societies. You could hear them speaking about the problems that they have to deal with. So now, think about this idea of a national prevention system when it comes to education for peace. Let me move now to human rights. Here we are, we're talking about human rights education, with great respect and with vigor. When I served in the position of High Commissioner for Human Rights, in— on Human Rights Day in 2002, I issued a Human Rights Day statement, and I said that human rights are affected by poverty, conflicts, inequality, Terrorism, gross violations of human rights, all of these issues, massive violations of human rights all around us. And now you are endeavoring to walk with the idea of human rights education in a world of great suffering, and we have to keep in mind There's great suffering also. Now, how can we take forward this human rights idea in the midst of all of this suffering? Well, I want to ask you to think about a concept called a national human rights protection system. A national human rights protection system requires a country in its constitution and its laws to be reflective of international human rights law. A national human rights protection system requires a country to educate for human rights, to have institutions such as a National Human Rights Commission, and to have its courts being able to enforce human rights laws. I invite you to think about this concept of a national human rights protection system in your own countries. At the end of the day, in addition to the phenomena that I mentioned— poverty, conflicts— we now have to add, in our times, we have to add climate change, we have to add artificial intelligence, and we have to add this I want to be careful in how I phrase this issue. We need to keep in mind ideas of society that are demonizing some people and are warning against the demons of other people. I'm using very— I'm being very careful in the language that I use in the halls of the United Nations, but we have to address these issues. Now, if you let me say so, I think that notwithstanding all of these difficulties, human rights education, it's a good strategy. 2 years' time, the world will commemorate 80 years of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. I've read the records of the drafting of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. At the San Francisco Conference where the United Nations Charter was drafted, there was a man called Professor Charles Malik of Lebanon. Is there a Lebanese in the room here? If you are, I would let you stand up and take a bow. Charles Malik argued at San Francisco, the United Nations must be built on the foundations of international law, and the United Nations must be built on the foundations of respect for the human beings. Now, young people, I would like to ask you the following. You can see I'm a plain-speaking guy. I would like to invite you I'd like you to submit to our moderator here a sheet of paper in which you write down the following: I think that in the future we must give attention to the following human rights issue, and you fill in the blank. I'd like to hear what you have to say. And so, moderator, please see that these young people give you a page each telling us about the issue that they would like to see attention to. Now, Mary Shuttleworth, I have come to know you, I have come to see your activities, and I have come to respect what you do here, and so you have my gratitude, and you have my respect, and you have my solidarity.


Speaker 50 [1:15:34]:

And—


OHCHR · former Acting High Commissioner for Human Rights · Dr. Bertrand Ramcharan [1:15:42]:

And I will be followed on this rostrum by my good friend Ambassador Namboko. I know that Ambassador Namboko has been with you for a number of years, supporting you, being with you. Ambassador Namboko, I came to know him when we worked together. We were on a mission to Ivory Coast, as I mentioned. And on the plane back, we had many long conversations about humanity and the goodness of human beings and the dignity of human beings. And over— subsequently, I have interacted with him. So ladies and gentlemen, I ask you to salute Ambassador Namoka.


Speaker 52 [1:16:24]:

Thank you.


OHCHR · former Acting High Commissioner for Human Rights · Dr. Bertrand Ramcharan [1:16:32]:

Well, that's what I wanted to say to you young people. And now, give me your one page. I want to know what you're thinking. Thank you very much, moderator.


Moderator [1:16:49]:

Well, I can't top that introduction, but I will tell you it's my distinct pleasure to introduce His Excellency Ambassador Irenaeu Namboka, former Human Rights Advisor to the United Nations. Thank you.


UN · former Human Rights Advisor · Irenaeu Namboka [1:18:03]:

Distinguished, very distinguished guests, all protocol observed. Words fail me after what has been done to me, but now I can stand on my poor legs in front of you to say a word or two. With your kind clemency, I'll start by reading a paragraph from 2 special congratulatory messages that 2 kings, African kings who couldn't make it to this conference, who belong to the African Indigenous Governors Council, And I suppose I'll be allowed to thank the first speaker a while ago who underlined the great humanitarian Schweitzer. I think he worked in Gabon somewhere, who said that among the things that that he thought then were important for humanity's harmony was to respect indigenous cultural values. We appreciate technology. We appreciate scientific advancement, but it can't be done in isolation of the ancient wisdom, indigenous knowledge. So the first of the 2 people that know Dr. Shuttleworth's labor, and I'm using this word labor this time in the creation of the arrival of human beings on earth, our mothers go through labor. That's the labor meaning I'm trying to put through here. And King Robinson Tanyi sent the following message, and I'm only going to take 2 paragraphs to cut a long story short. He says this to Dr. Shuttleworth. I have been particularly attracted to you And to Youth for Human Rights International's work for 2 main reasons. First, your profound conviction that education is the path to creating the new person the world needs. The second paragraph: As a monarch— that's King Taniu speaking— Father— now, Father, and above all leader of my society, reflecting on the vision and mission you have for Youth for Human Rights leaves me assured that my own dreams aren't a pie in the sky. We are aspiring for a better society and a more sober world that we together want to leave behind us. Wishing you many more years of this grand service to humanity through youth as Youth for Human Rights rises to even greater heights of visibility. That was the message King Tani sent to Dr. Mary Shuttleworth for what she has offered humanity over the last 25 years. The second King is King Raphael Otyaya, Kumam Cultural Heritage, Uganda. He wrote the following message, which we want you to hear on their behalf. I convey my loving greetings to you and Youth for Human Rights International. I appreciate loving commitment towards promotion, preservation, and educating of people all over the world about human rights. Without observation of human rights throughout the world, the world will be— will cease to exist. Human life will be history. Creation will be no more. Please, may you accept my encouragement to you and your organization to continue preaching about human rights to all nations throughout the world. I wish you very good health, energy, wisdom, and may the Almighty God answer all your prayers. King Otaia Raphael of the Kumam Cultural Community.


Speaker 56 [1:23:46]:

Thank you.


UN · former Human Rights Advisor · Irenaeu Namboka [1:23:55]:

Now kindly hear my small message as a friend, an ally, and a fellow laborer who has worked and walked with Mary, my sister, For the last 16 years. Distinguished fellow members of the human family, I said all protocol observed, ladies and gentlemen, we are here to celebrate Youth for Human Rights' 25th year legacy. This is an invitation for us to go on a walk down memory lane, and discover the origins the Education for Peace concept originated. Our forebears, a century ago in 1925, in a form of civil society of men and women, met in Geneva like we are here today. And what they called— what the ideas of that group initiated was later to be called the International Bureau of Education. The League of Nations, the predecessor of the United Nations, adopted the NGO's idea. and turned it into the intergovernmental organization to promote international cooperation through education and science. It was this seed that the United Nations in 1946 sowed and named UNESCO. And that seed had a constitution. 80 years ago, the amazing foresighted authors of the UNESCO Constitution in its preamble said these things in writing. First, that the wide diffusion of culture and the education of humanity for justice and liberty and peace are indispensable to the dignity of man and constitute a sacred duty which all nations must fulfill in a spirit of mutual assistance and concern. They said another thing. They said, since wars begin in the mind of humans. It's in the minds of humans that the defense of peace must be constructed. They didn't stop there. They said this also— I'm a rumor monger— a peace based exclusively upon the political and economic arrangements of governments would not be a peace which could secure the unanimous, lasting, and sincere support of the people of the world. And that peace must therefore be founded, if it's to do so, if it's not to fail, on intellectual and moral solidarity of mankind. Youth for Human Rights International, under Mary Shuttleworth's shining leadership and relentless efforts across the globe, has over the past quarter of a century focused on education, educating the youth of the world about the United Nations 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Mary and millions of youths, as well as those of us who support this project, follow her huge intellectual and physical endeavors, and in this way we are the blossoming, we are the flowers and the fruits of the seed we spoke about.


Speaker 58 [1:28:36]:

Thank you.


UN · former Human Rights Advisor · Irenaeu Namboka [1:28:40]:

On a personal level, it was a unique opportunity and privilege that on retiring from the United Nations service in the human rights system in 2010, Dr. Shuttleworth's and my trajectories crossed. Since then, we have together labored, dreamt, and preached human rights as a basis for peace in the world and between peoples and nations. This is a shared mission I pledge to continue supporting Mary in.

In.

To pursue all my life, the rest of my life, the implementation of what our forebears left us as wisdom and we've tended to abandon and invest in different things.

Permit me.

as I conclude, to say a special word about His Excellency Dr. Ramcharan, who was my High Commissioner in 2003 when the Office of the High Commissioner took me from Geneva and sent me to Africa, to South Africa.


Speaker 60 [1:30:22]:

Yes.


UN · former Human Rights Advisor · Irenaeu Namboka [1:30:22]:

precisely for the SADC region of that continent. I'm very attached to Africa because I have to confess it to you fellow members of the human family. And it's just a strange thing that my friends who spoke before me also touched on Central Africa. I spent 2 years in Gabon in my earlier service as a diplomat, a head of mission under the governance of Mr. Idi Amin Dada. And these are heavy things to say, but we've got to learn from our experiences. That is the nervous system that when a baby screams and touches a hot cup of tea and it burns it, it learns not to mess around with hot things. And therefore, allow me to conclude by wishing my dearest sister— I've said my sister was born in Africa, and I said we are one human family. It is a privilege and an honor to be asked to stand in front of you and be able to say, my very dear sister Mary, you are an invaluable piece of creation for the world.


Speaker 62 [1:31:55]:

Thank you. Thank you.


Moderator [1:32:06]:

Isn't that the truth? Now I'd like to welcome Congresswoman Brisa Ireri Arroyo Martinez, member of the State Congress of Michoacán, to the stage.


Mexico · Congresswoman · Brisa Ireri Arroyo Martinez [1:32:44]:

Good morning, everyone in the room. Allow me to extend this message to you in my original language, which is Spanish, because then on top of making sure that this is past our borders, I would like to make sure that this message is being heard by my fellow man back in Mexico. It is my honor to be here in this space where the voices of the world get together to defend dignity, to be praised, and to be reminded that what's important is to never lose hope. I would like to begin my speech by acknowledging a woman whose vision of the world has transformed generations, Dr. Mary Shuttleworth. Your educational endeavor through the different decades have made human rights a full living reality that is close and tangible for millions of youth in over 150 countries. To celebrate this anniversary today here in Youth for Human Rights International, It's a quarter of a century of shining lights and raising awareness and acknowledging good endeavors. Dr. Shuttleworth, thank you for reminding us that peace education is one of the strongest bridges you can build towards freedom. Thank you. It's extremely humbling, and it brings me to learning to be here in this international summit where I'm sure the exchange of ideas, learnings, and thoughts will enrich our personal universe to transform in as much as we can within our possibilities the world that we are living in. For those who are here in the room today, regardless of our origin or nationality, speaking of human rights is always to speak of something that stays always relevant but also complex. Because within it we have different realities, cultures, and perspectives. And there is something that has to be very clear: within human rights, there are no hierarchies. Every individual has the right to enjoy their rights without discrimination, regardless of their origin, skin tone, skin color, gender, age, religion, social condition, or any other circumstance for that matter. Meaning human rights with the most updated concept are indivisible. By knowing the reference framework for this topic in our society, most of you will be questioning What is happening with human rights in Mexico, at least in my own country? It's not news to everyone that in certain areas, human rights in my own country, we have major challenges so that we can stand for what we speak to other Mexican society. I come from Michoacán, the land that has told me that human rights cannot be defended from the legal framework alone. They can also be defended from the heart of the community. As a congresswoman, I am concerned but also occupied that we live in a true state of law, that we can follow the Constitution and the principles that will acknowledge the dignity of every human being, which is why I'm here to share with you one small experience of what we are building from my state and at the same time to hear you and to learn from other experiences across the world. Because I am convinced of something: defending human rights, it also means to prevent the conditions that create violence, exclusion, and inequality. My Congress job and social endeavor has focused on strengthening values, strengthening communities, and open real paths so that boys, girls, and entire families can find different alternatives to the challenges that they face as of today. One of the projects that I came here to share is our support network. This program stems out of a deep conviction that when we teach the new generations to acknowledge their value, to take care of their environment, and to respect life, that's where we are creating long-lasting peace. This supportive network is exclusively supported by citizenship participation without any political parties. Our objective is to create peaceful societies in the most forgotten and remote areas of Morelia, mostly, which is capital city to the state of Michoacán. The supportive network works hand in hand with the social program, which is called Serious Help, and with community days, we are reaching where no one else is coming. It's with this mission at heart that Guardian Hearts was born, that seeks to shape specific citizens from childhood and strengthen their capabilities with values such as empathy, responsibility, social approach, and so— and solidarity. Because we have learned that prevention should not be a simple speech. Prevention is one of the most powerful tools that we hold to protect human rights. We have also driven educational programs that serve causes of violence, and this is how we speak to parents, mothers and fathers, because facing the challenges that we have, it's not enough to say what they shouldn't do. We have to offer them certain alternatives. I am convinced that instead of looking for false alternatives in drugs or violence, we must bring solutions to them, real solutions to them, like sports, music, education, dignified labor, one family and one community that will back them up. One of these opportunities represents all by itself the exertion of your own human right, because whenever a youth finds— understands what their value is, they exert their rights and they find purpose, but they also find reasons to stay away from violence. Our reports that have been derived from The newspaper in the UN have also reminded us that Mexico is still facing very important challenges in terms of human rights. And hence the question is, what can we do? So the first thing we can say is to serve the causes of violence, to stop crime, give you continuity, and to strengthen the educational programs that have shared results. Strengthen the responsibility of those who are in charge of justice. Accept the reality you're living in, but never surrender to it. We must stop problems from becoming more acute and make sure that the new generations do not grow where violence has been normalized. But mostly, we need to make sure that indifference is set aside. Solidarity is a way to defend our human rights. Peace promotion— Peace promotion is not a single department job. It's a single orchestra between community organizations and government. When we handhold each other, exchanging knowledge, resources, and willingness, it's only then that we can transform entire communities. And I'm witness of such endeavors. I have learned that when a public official is listening, learns, and works by the people and with its people, and they are people-centered when their decision-making processes come about, The results are very tangible. That's why my message to you is that I'm deeply convinced that peace will be built on a daily basis. It will be built through education. It will be built through prevention. And it will be built through real opportunities. And it will be built when we stop being indifferent. But mostly, it will be built when we can fully understand that every single individual, regardless of their origin, they have rights to live with dignity, with freedom, and with hope.


Speaker 65 [1:42:46]:

Thank you.


Mexico · Congresswoman · Brisa Ireri Arroyo Martinez [1:42:52]:

Today, I would like to make a call to action to all authorities, all organizations, teachers, and the leaders in the group, as well as the youth, to look at the current solutions that are currently working, to share them, to replicate them, to adapt them to our own communities, because that's where we would have a very specific way of values Major opportunities will come about. It is then where we will have opportunities and you can rebuild them. And it is then where we will be building lives that peace and freedom become possible. It truly has been extremely satisfactory and a great experience Be part of this summit. I will take deep learnings from it, but also a major conviction even stronger. Human rights are not something that we are to claim. We teach them, we defend them, but most of all, they are learned to be lived on a daily basis. Thank you very much. It is such a pleasure for me to be here and raising my voice. Thank you. On behalf of those who have been historically silenced in Mexico, thank you again.


Moderator [1:44:26]:

Thank you, Congresswoman, for that very powerful speech. I have just a few housekeeping notes. If you wouldn't mind making sure any of your cell phones, your iPads, If you have a pager, make sure that those are please silenced so that we can keep our full attention on our incredible speakers. One other note of housekeeping, for any languages that are not English or Spanish, the translation will be done in English. So just a note, if we have any more Italian, French, Portuguese speakers, it will be done in an English translation. All right. And next up, Ambassador Salah Mohamed.


Speaker 68 [1:45:03]:

Thank you.


Moderator [1:45:03]:

I'll give you that again. Ambassador Salah Hamad is unfortunately unable to be with us today, and he has asked his colleague, Ms. Puseletso Adelina Molato, to read his presentation. So please welcome her to the stage.


Speaker 70 [1:45:16]:

Thank you.


Puseletso Adelina Molato [1:45:36]:

Distinguished delegates, I represent Dr. Salah Hamad. As our moderator has indicated, I would submit his apology and greetings on behalf of the African Excellencies, esteemed members of the diplomatic corps, our esteemed missions, courageous human rights defenders, and human and youth leaders from every corner of this global village, dear colleagues and friends, good morning and greetings. It is a profound honor to stand before you today at the 20th International Human Rights Summit. We gather at a critical moment in human history. We are met under a theme that is both an urgent mandate and our only path forward: Global Youth Solidarity for Peace and Development. I extend my deepest gratitude to the organizers, Dr. Mary Shuttleworth, Executive Director of Youth for Human Rights International. I take this opportunity to congratulate the 25 years of hard work, commitment, and resilience. Many thanks to our civil society partners and every delegate present here today. Your presence proves that borders cannot divide a shared human conscience. Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, we do not meet today in a vacuum of peace. We meet in a world fractured by escalating geopolitical tensions, systemic inequalities, and the devastating impacts of climate change. From the frontlines of armed conflicts to Communities silenced by authoritarian regimes. Human rights are under siege. The reality: economic instability threatens the survival of millions. The toll: education is disrupted by war and poverty. The threat: the basic right to live in safety is denied to the most vulnerable. For too long, young people have been treated merely as passive victims of these crises, or worse, we are dismissed as a demographic to be managed. Today, we reject that narrative. We are not just onlookers to history. We are the architects of a new world order. Distinguished delegates, Dear friends, our theme reminds us of an unshakable truth: peace, development, and human rights are inseparable. They are 3 pillars of the same structure. No peace without rights. True peace is not just the absence of war. It is the presence of justice, equality, and human dignity. No development without peace. Sustainable development cannot take root in fertile soil if that soil is scorched by conflict. Dear colleagues, when we defend a child's right to good quality education, we block the path to radicalization. When we fight for economic justice and fair wages, we dismantle the desperation that fuels conflict. When we champion climate action, we secure the resource base for future peace. To protect human rights is to build peace. To build peace is to guarantee sustainable development. Excellencies, what does solidarity mean in 2026? It must be more than a trending hashtag. It must look past comfortable rhetoric. Solidarity means recognizing that an injustice suffered by a young person in one hemisphere is a direct threat to the freedom of a young person in another. It demands that youth in stable nations use their safety to amplify the voices of youth in conflict zones. It requires us to cross divides of race, religion, nationality, and ideology to form a unified front against tyranny and oppression. Our generation possesses a historic advantage. We are the most interconnected generation the world has ever seen. Our power— we use digital technology to to bypass traditional gatekeepers. Our reach— we share grassroots strategies across oceans in seconds. Our duty, our power, our voice— we must weaponize this connectivity for empathy, accountability, and systemic positive change. Ladies and gentlemen, we must realize that solidarity without action is empty. We should transform our shared convictions into tangible development. We must demand a seat at the table where policies are written and budgets are allocated. We are tired of being invited to the table simply to satisfy a youth quota. We do not want to be a checkbox on an institutional agenda. We demand co-leadership. inclusive, meaningful leadership, constructive engagement, and genuine partnership. We must build our own table. This looks like grassroots work, launching community-led peacebuilding initiatives, innovation, developing sustainable technologies to combat local climate threats.


Speaker 72 [1:51:53]:

Thank you.


Puseletso Adelina Molato [1:51:54]:

accountability, establishing youth watchdogs to monitor human rights violations. We must support each other's projects, share resources, and build a global ecosystem of youth-led solutions. We are not the leaders of tomorrow. Tomorrow is a luxury we cannot afford. The future is now. It is in our hands. We are the absolute future.


Speaker 74 [1:52:19]:

Thank you.


Puseletso Adelina Molato [1:52:20]:

necessity of today. Excellencies, as we engage in this 20th Conference, let us make a pact. Let us refuse to let this be just another gathering of fine speeches and forgotten resolutions. Let this Conference be the birthplace of new coalitions. Let us connect our organizations across borders. Let us pledge to defend the rights of the marginalized fiercely. Let us prove that global youth solidarity can break down structural oppression. When you return to your respective nations, carry the fire of this room with you. Stand firm against complacency. Challenge the status quo in your communities, your parliaments, and in your international institutions. Distinguished delegates, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, dear colleagues and friends, the path to lasting peace and development is long and steep. It is paved with institutional resistance and systemic barriers. But look around this room. Look at the courage, the intellect, and the fierce determination represented here today. There is no force on earth more powerful than a generation unified by a shared vision for human dignity. Let us stand together. Let us fight together. Let us build a future where peace is permanent, development is equitable, and human rights belong to us all. I thank you all for your attention.


Moderator [1:54:02]:

Thank you, Let us now welcome Cesar Alexander Acuña, presenting for the Universidad Cesar Vallejo.


Cesar Alexander Acuña [1:54:27]:

First of all, I want to thank Dr. Mary Shetterworth for all the amazing job doing quarter century working for these boys. For me, it's an honor to be here. I'm part of a second-generation legacy of the biggest school in Peru, Universidad César Vallejo. We hold in our classroom 250,000 students, and my father, who is the founder, had the vision that we need a social university. And he's working, and we are working now for 40, almost 40 years in education, trying to make this voice of human rights, the education, as the biggest human right we have as humanity. Right now, we think, and we are very happy to be and conclude, that humanity needs new opportunities to face new challenges. We are in a very challenging time. We're seeing social media, AI era, and we are facing as humanity many, many challenges. And this is space, this community, this way to express ourselves as a voice of people, to think and wish a better humanity, a better society, a better world for all of us. So I want to thank all of these people, those beautiful people that want to change this mindset of new generations, because we know that right now we're living through one of the greatest transformation times in our For the first time, knowledge is no longer limited by geography, wealth, or social status. Artificial intelligence has the potential to become the greatest equalizer humanity has ever created, but only if we ensure that access to knowledge becomes a universal human right. Today, millions of children still lack a quality education. Millions of adults remain excluded from the opportunity of the digital age. Misinformation spreads faster than truth. The challenge before us is not technology itself. The challenge is whether technology will divide humanity or empower it. I believe in a different future, a future where every child, regardless of where they come from, has access to a world education. And we're working through that, and we're happy to be part of this community as well. As a future and a leader of this part of the beautiful community. I believe that a future where I expand human potential instead of replacing human purpose, a future where knowledge becomes the foundation of freedom, dignity, opportunity, and peace. We are entering a new era now, not the industrial era, not the information era, but the era of knowledge. But this requires a new commitment, democratized education, and we need to do that every day, and you have to focus on that as a society. Make AI ethical, transparent, and inclusive for everybody. Build societies where learning needs to be the center of every community. The United Nations has long defended the fundamental right of humanity. Today, we must recognize that meaningful access to knowledge and digital opportunities is becoming essential to exercising many other rights in practice. The UN has increasingly emphasized human rights to digital sphere. Participation, equitable access to opportunity. The true power of our nation and of our communities is not measured by natural resources. It's measured by the minds that it develops and the power of the way that people think, that we're really— the biggest resource in our world is our own people and the way we are really equal for everybody access for education. Let us create a world where every person has the power to think, to learn, to innovate, and contribute to society and all these communities. Because when we give people the knowledge, we give the freedom, the freedom to think and the freedom to be and to think for all the world. Thank you very much.


Moderator [1:58:18]:

It's my pleasure to introduce Eleonora Frigiero, presenting on behalf of Laura Greccio, International Criminal Bar Association.


Eleonora Frigiero [1:58:38]:

Good morning. Dear Madame Shuttleworth, dear Youth for Human Rights family—


Speaker 80 [1:58:45]:

thank you—


Eleonora Frigiero [1:58:46]:

the rights of short people too. So, dear young delegates, distinguished colleagues, and esteemed Excellencies. It is a true honor to send you my warmest congratulations on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of Youth for Human Rights International. For 25 years, Youth for Human Rights has demonstrated that educating young people about human rights is not simply about teaching legal principles. It is about nurturing compassion, responsibility, courage, and hope. This remarkable milestone celebrates not only an organization, but also thousands of young people across the world who have chosen to believe that humanity— human dignity is worth defending every single day. First, allow me to express a special word of appreciation to Mary Shatterworth. Mary, it has been a privilege to know you and to witness your extraordinary dedication to the promotion of human rights. Your determination has always been accompanied by something equally powerful: your kindness. Throughout the years, I have admired not only your unwavering commitment but also the genuine smile you offer to everyone you meet. Leadership is often measured by achievements. But I believe it is equally measured by the humanity we show to others. You embody both. To all young participants, I would like to share with you some thoughts. We live in a time when the world sometimes seems to have lost its direction, a time in which peace appears fragile, Certainty is increasingly rare. Emotions are often mediated through social media and artificial intelligence. Communication is becoming faster, but not necessarily deeper. And technology often dictates the rhythm of our lives more than our humanity does. We are constantly connected, yet too often we have less time to truly listen, to reflect, to understand one another, and to simply be present. In such a world, I would ask you to remember 3 words: be courageous, be hopeful, be human. Be courageous because believing in human rights and in the possibility of change requires courage. Never allow cynicism to convince you that your voice cannot make a difference. Every great transformation in history began with someone who believed that a better future was possible. Be hopeful, because hope is not naive optimism. Hope is a choice. It is the conviction that our actions matter and that each of us has the capacity to improve the lives of others. The future is not something that simply happens to us. It is something that we build together day after day. And above all, be human. Always offer others understanding before judgment. Dialogue before division. Compassion before indifference. Never forget that in a world increasingly shaped by technology, it will never be artificial intelligence that changes humanity. It will always be human intelligence guided by empathy, kindness, and respect. Your humanity will always be your greatest strength. Never stop being the change you are already creating today. And never forget that becoming an adult should never mean giving up the ability to dream. Children imagine a world without limits. Adults too often learn to accept the limits without imagining new possibilities. Keep alive that sense of wonder, that purity of purpose, and that courage to dream. Protect it because it is one of the greatest gifts you possess. I truly wish I could be with you in person to share these words, words with you and, above all, to have the opportunity to meet each one of you individually. Unfortunately, due to family reasons, I was not able to join you on this occasion. Nevertheless, I am with you in spirit, and I hope that these words can convey the affection, admiration, and gratitude I feel for all that you are doing. I still remember the privilege of being with many of you years ago at the Forum in New York. I remember your faces, your enthusiasm, your generosity, and your sincere desire to make the world a better place. Those memories have remained with me ever since. Whenever my own work has become difficult, I have often thought back to your energy and your optimism. For this, I want to say to you all, young members of the Youth for Human Rights family, thank you. Thank you for the enthusiasm you bring into our world. Thank you for reminding those of us who are a little older why we chose this path in the first place. Your commitment renews our own. We need one another. You need our experience and we need your vision. You need our guidance and we need your courage to challenge old ways of thinking. Together, across generations, we can build something far stronger than either generation could achieve alone. You are not only young human rights advocates, you are young ambassadors of peace. My hope is that we, as the older generation, will always do everything possible to ensure that your voices are heard, that your ideas are respected, and that you are given the opportunity to become true protagonists of change. May we help create a world that is better than the one we are handing over to you today. Congratulations once again on this extraordinary achievement. extraordinary anniversary, may the 25 next years be marked by even stronger dialogue, deeper humanity, and an unwavering commitment to the dignity and rights of every person. With my deepest admiration and warmest wishes, Laura Guercio. Thank you.


Moderator [2:04:56]:

And now, please enjoy a bit special video address from Sheena Chowhan, actor and ambassador for Youth for Human Rights South Asia.


YHRI · Ambassador · Sheena Chowhan [2:05:06]:

Hi, I'm Sheena Chowhan, and I'm the Youth for Human Rights South Asia ambassador.


Moderator [2:05:42]:

Thought we were getting a little glow-in-the-dark moment there. I think it's pretty fitting that after an address that talks about, you know, the perils of technology and how important it is to be empathetic and prioritize the human connection, we then do have some technological issues. So thank you, Eleonora, for making that transition so perfect for us.


Speaker 85 [2:06:09]:

Thank you.


YHRI · Ambassador · Sheena Chauhan [2:06:26]:

Hi, I'm Sheena Chauhan, and I've been South Asia Ambassador for United for Human Rights over the last—

Hi, I'm Sheena Chauhan, and I've been South Asia Ambassador for United for Human Rights over the last—


Moderator [2:06:43]:

Okay, I think we're going to have to come back to that one, because I know we definitely all want to hear from Sheena later. All right, next up, I am very privileged to get to introduce our next batch of youth delegates. Is everyone excited to hear a little voice from the youth today? I know I am. So without further ado, it is my privilege to welcome our youth delegate from Uzbekistan to the stage.


Uzbekistan · Chair, Youth Parliament Committee on Youth Legal Literacy · Irkebay [2:07:22]:

Good afternoon, Your Excellencies, distinguished delegates, and honored guests. I'm Irkebay. I came from Uzbekistan, where 2/3 of my nation is under 30. I chair our Youth Parliament's Committee on Youth Legal Literacy. Since 2021, I've stood in classrooms across my country asking one question: Do you know your rights?


Speaker 89 [2:07:55]:

Yes.


Uzbekistan · Chair, Youth Parliament Committee on Youth Legal Literacy · Irkebay [2:07:57]:

Sometimes, too often, the answer was silence. That silence is why I do this work. A young person who knows their rights can defend them. A society that teaches right can protect them. So we thought, we trained thousands of people in legal literacy, we carried youth voices into draft legislation, And I have watched my generation move from passive observers to active participants in the law that governs their lives. I've also watched my country transform. Uzbekistan eradicated the systemic forced labor in our cotton fields that once drew the world's condemnation. National poverty fell from 23% to under 7%. Child poverty was cut in half in 3 years. And our commitment does not stop at our borders. Through the Terminus Hub, more than 42,000 tons of food have reached our neighbors in Afghanistan.


Speaker 91 [2:09:15]:

Thank you.


Uzbekistan · Chair, Youth Parliament Committee on Youth Legal Literacy · Irkebay [2:09:17]:

I share these facts honestly. Our journey is not complete. Challenges still remain. But I no longer believe change is something young people wait for. It is something we legislate, teach, and build. Youth are not only leaders of tomorrow. We are partners today. That's why I came here to be your partner. Dear delegates, come on, let's become partners starting today for our human rights, for human dignity, for education, for saving our planet.


Speaker 93 [2:10:01]:

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Agreed.


Moderator [2:10:11]:

Next up, we have from Costa Rica our next youth delegate.


Costa Rica · Youth delegate · Santiago Vargas [2:10:28]:

Good afternoon to everyone. Your Excellencies, honored dignitaries, and friends. My name is Santiago Vargas and I come from Costa Rica, a country with no army. More than 70— more than 70 years ago, Costa Rica traded weapons for pencils and military barracks for schools. I was born in the proof that peace is not a dream, it is a decision. From the same pacifist vision came Oscar Arias Sánchez, who believed so deeply in peace that he carried it across Central America and earned a Nobel Peace Prize. Today, our commitment has the force of law, Law 10,030, incorporate the teaching of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights into our national curriculum. In Costa Rica, every child now learns their rights in schools. But laws do not teach, people do. Through Youth for Human Rights Costa Rica, I work alongside our chapter's president, Braulio Vargas, traveling to schools, companies, and every community around the corner in our country. We are building a peaceful army, young people trained to defend the human dignity and equal opportunities, armed only with the Universal Declaration. This year we celebrate 25 years of Youth for Human Rights International and the 20th edition of this summit, a legacy begun by Dr. Mary Shuttlesworth so that human rights would, would stop being an idea and become a reality around the world. Celebrating this legacy is not looking backwards. It is reaffirming together that education remains the most powerful weapon we have for you, peace. I want to do this in name from Costa Rica and our President. We have a special gift for you, Mary Shuttleworth, to recognize your work through those— these years.


Speaker 96 [2:13:03]:

Thank you.


Moderator [2:13:27]:

Next up, we have our youth delegate from Jamaica. Please give her a round of applause.


Speaker 98 [2:13:31]:

Thank you.


Jamaica · Youth delegate · LaJanda Blake [2:13:37]:

Good morning, Your Excellencies, distinguished delegates, and honored guests. My name is LaJanda Blake, and I am a human rights advocate from Jamaica. Now, I became a human rights educator for one simple reason: people cannot protect rights they do not know they have. In Salt Spring, Montego Bay, a community that knows violence all too well, I facilitated workshops where young people were able to explore the 30 human rights for the very first time. Now, I'm an agricultural engineer, I'm not a teacher, so I didn't want the workshops to be lectures. Instead, we role-played, we debated, we had conversations, we took the Universal Declaration off the page and we placed it into— inside our everyday lives. And then something happened that I will never forget. Young people began connecting the human rights to their own experiences. They named injustices that they had taught to— that they had been taught to accept as normal. And they asked, how do we get involved? That is the power of human rights education. Knowledge becomes confidence, confidence becomes voice. When people understand their rights, they can stand against discrimination, injustice, and violence, and they can stop passing silence to the next generations. Jamaica, my island, needs its young people. We have to speak up against unfair treatment, promote inclusion, educate others, and lead by example. Every workshop, every conversation, every act of kindness builds the peaceful communities we so desperately need. And I want to close by saying something that a lot of other people have echoed here today. Human rights begins in the small places, the places close to home and at home. I have seen it begin in my own community, and by educating and empowering youth today, we are building a future where dignity, equality, and freedom are respected for all. Thank you.


Moderator [2:15:45]:

And now our youth delegate from Timor-Leste.

Please be seated.


Timor-Leste · Youth delegate · Jotânia Maria da Silva [2:15:58]:

Madam President, Excellencies, and fellow youth, it is a profound honor to speak here at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. My name is Jotânia Maria da Silva, and I speak today as a young Timorese whose life is shaped by the realities faced by many young people at home. Growing up in Timor-Leste, I witnessed how unequal access to opportunities affects the lives and futures of our youth. I saw friends leave their homes in rural areas to pursue education in the capital, fellow youth selling food on the streets after school just to pay their tuition. A daily reminder that education often comes at great personal sacrifice. These experiences taught me that human rights are not abstract principles. They are lived realities. With more than 60% of Timor-Leste's population under the age of 25, investing in education is not only a social priority, it is a national obligation. I know this because education changed my own life. Receiving the opportunity to study abroad opened doors that I once only dreamed of. Today, standing here at the United Nations is not only my young— my achievement. It is a reminder of what becomes possible when a young woman is given the chance to learn. But I also recognize that with this privilege comes responsibility to give back to those who are still unable to access the same opportunities, especially young women who continue to face barriers to education because of their circumstances. To this why, I have chosen to be involved in youth initiatives and community engagement work, including programs that promote education awareness, youth empowerment, and equal opportunity. Through these efforts, I've worked with young people in Timor-Leste and some Asian countries to encourage confidence, preparation, and belief that their voices and dreams matter. There's a saying I want everyone here to remember: knowledge becomes meaningful when it is shared, and leadership becomes real when it uplifts others. Excellencies, human rights education gives young people the confidence to understand their rights, speak out against discrimination, and build inclusive and peaceful communities. Hi, I'm inspired by the opportunities that Timor-Leste's membership in ASEAN, together with our engagement in the community of the Portuguese-speaking countries, the United Nations, and other multilateral platforms like your organization, Madam Mary— let's all give applause to her— which provides for young people to learn from one another. Exchange ideas, and work together to build a more peaceful future. In Timor-Leste, we often say, la iha ducasam, la iha futuru. Without education, there is no future. This simple belief reminds us why investing in education is is investing in peace, opportunity, and the next generation. Today, we are fortunate to stand here and speak, yet millions around the world are still struggling to have access even to basic education. Let us urge our governments to invest in education so every young person can shape a future built in dignity, peace, and shared prosperity.


Speaker 102 [2:20:39]:

Obrigada, Barack.


Timor-Leste · Youth delegate · Jotânia Maria da Silva [2:20:40]:

Thank you very much.


Moderator [2:20:50]:

And next, we have our youth delegate from Yemen.


Yemen · Youth delegate · Abdurrahman Balbed [2:21:02]:

Good morning, Your Excellencies, distinguished guests, and fellow delegates. My name is Abdurrahman Balbed, and I am here as a Yemeni speaking for millions of people whose voices rarely reach rooms like this. In Yemen, a whole generation who grown up And only wars and conflict after conflict. Students finish their schools with a limited access to university education. Nurses treat their patients in hospitals without electricity. Families plan their days around water, medicine, and safety. For me, These are not statistics. They're home. That's why I do this work. I co-founded Qima. Qima in Arabic means value. It's a nonprofit organization to help and partner with another corporation and organization, worked with over 20 different organizations and helped over 100 young people to find internships and jobs, and over 500 people in training and education. Also, through Jusoor Youth Organization, I represented youth at the United Nations, bringing NGOs, UN agencies, and young leaders at the same table for the youth peace and security agenda. Those experiences taught me that human rights start with opportunity. When people have education, healthcare, decent work, and safety, they can build life with dignity. When they lose those things, everything else falls apart. Most people cannot find— cannot define— cannot defend a right they never know they had. But when young people learn their rights, they learn how to stand for others. When young people are not waiting for permission, we organize, we work across borders, we turn conversation into a project. We have seen it in Yemen, we have seen it in Iraq, and we have seen it in New York.


Speaker 106 [2:23:39]:

Thank you.


Yemen · Youth delegate · Abdurrahman Balbed [2:23:42]:

I hope to leave this summit with partnerships who will make dignity a daily reality for every Yemeni, for every person. Thank you.


Moderator [2:24:01]:

Thank you, youth delegates, for your commitment to action and for all that you do to make our world a better place. And now it is my honor to welcome Braulio Vargas Núñez, President of Asociación Jóvenes por los Derechos Humanos Costa Rica, who will be moderating today's panel.


Moderator · Braulio Vargas Núñez [2:24:22]:

Thank you, Good morning.


Speaker 110 [2:24:57]:

Good afternoon.


Moderator · Braulio Vargas Núñez [2:25:02]:

So, I have the honour of moderating the panel of education, human rights education leadership and the way forward. At the beginning of this universe, there was movement and time was born. With day came the galaxies, the planets and the suns. and from the sun comes gold, so time is gold. So to begin, let me introduce the first panelist, Ms. Kazi Tamana from Bangladesh.


Speaker 112 [2:25:41]:

Thank you.


Bangladesh · Assistant Attorney General · Kazi Tamana [2:25:56]:

Mr. Minister, respected colleagues, and dear young leaders, good afternoon. It's an honor to return to the International Human Rights Summit organized by YHRI in its 25th anniversary. When I first came to the United Nations headquarters in 2019, As a young lawyer from Bangladesh, I believed that strong laws are the foundation of human rights. Today, after years of serving as an advocate of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh, as well as the Assistant Attorney General for Bangladesh, I still believe in the power of law, but I have learned something equally important. Laws protect rights, but education protects people. I have spent much of my professional life in courtrooms where law seeks to resolve disputes, protect rights, and deliver justice. The courtroom is where society responds when rights have already been violated. It is where justice attempts to repair harm. Over the years, However, I have come to realize that while the law is indispensable, it is often the last line of defense. These experiences taught me that access to justice begins long before anyone enters a courtroom. It begins when people understand their rights. It begins when they recognize the dignity of others, and it happens only through education. Education transforms peace from an abstract aspiration into a daily practice. This belief inspired another important chapter of my journey as an educator. As a university lecturer, assistant director, Youth for Human Rights International, YHRI Bangladesh, and now as the regional director for Bangladesh of the U.S. Institute of Diplomacy and Human Rights, USIDHR, I have had the privilege of working with students, teachers, lawyers, and young leaders from diverse backgrounds. And some of the most meaningful moments in my career have not been inside courtrooms. They have been inside classrooms, seminars, and conferences. However, our world today faces enormous challenges. Armed conflicts continue to displace millions of peoples. Gender-based violence remains widespread. Hate speech, discrimination, intolerance, and rapidly evolving digital technologies continue to test our commitment to human dignity. Citizens who recognize that protecting another person's rights ultimately protects their own. To the young leaders gathered here today, I would like to share one simple message: never underestimate your ability to make a difference. You do not need to be a lawyer to defend the justice. You do not need to be a judge to uphold fairness. Leadership begins whenever you choose compassion over indifference. Peace is not built by extraordinary people doing extraordinary things. It is built by ordinary people making principled choices every day. And education is the bridge that connects human rights, justice, and lasting peace, because when we educate, we empower. When we empower, we protect human dignity. And when we protect human dignity, we build lasting peace. This is how we educate for peace, because we are one people living in one planet. Thank you to Dr. Mary, and thank you all.


Moderator · Braulio Vargas Núñez [2:29:47]:

Thank you, Miss Ketsi. Next speaker. Mrs. Staff Sergeant Danikoff.


Speaker 115 [2:30:05]:

Hello.


Moderator · Braulio Vargas Núñez [2:30:07]:

Hola.


Speaker 117 [2:30:08]:

Bonjour.

Boozhoo.

Salaam.

Ciao.

Aloha.

Ni hao.

Konnichiwa.

Konnichiwa.

Marhaba.

Marhaba. Namaste.

Namaste.


Staff Sergeant · Dana Cuffe [2:30:29]:

We are all one, just different languages. In policing, operational needs and changes are constant. The challenge is creating the time, the space, and support to move human rights into everyday practice. Culture change does not happen overnight, and it takes patience and consistency as any type of leader, no matter where you are. Today we speak about leadership and the importance of human rights through education, education for peace. At its core, this work is grounded in the first principle of human rights: every person is born free and equal in dignity and rights. We should all be treated the same way. Leadership is not about rank or or about a position. The type of leadership is about responsibility, how we treat people, how we respond when someone is struggling, and how we create spaces where people feel safe. At York Regional Police, leadership in social security through education has been brought to the forefront because the work is ultimately about people, both our communities and our members. This education helps us better understand one another, recognize barriers, and make informed decisions. Through our initiatives and a human rights classroom, We share knowledge with members, youth, and communities about significant dates, diverse faiths, countries of origin, ethnic communities, organizations, and events that are relevant to policing and community engagement. Resources such as the Human Rights International booklets and videos are included in our human rights classroom, and they're shared with our communities, our youth, our recruits, at events, and through community engagement. These tools help us make human rights education accessible, practical, and meaningful. It helps our communities engage and respond more meaningfully with each other. This year marks the 5th annual Human Rights Day. We will celebrate it within and around our human rights classroom and with our communities. Through this work, human rights education has become more than just a program. It has become part of our policing and our community culture. I want to thank you Thank everybody for being here, but also to Deputy Chief Salia, who is here to support me and our policing and community culture today and human rights leadership. I also want to thank Nicole Crellin, Human Rights Canada, and of course Mary Shuttleworth.


Speaker 119 [2:34:05]:

Thank you.


Moderator · Braulio Vargas Núñez [2:34:12]:

Thank you, Mrs. Kapp. Our next speaker is Mr. Peter Timmermans.


Peter Timmermans [2:34:18]:

Thank you, Braulio.


Moderator · Braulio Vargas Núñez [2:34:19]:

You're welcome.


Peter Timmermans [2:34:20]:

Bonjour, salut tout le monde, good afternoon everyone. It's a pleasure to be here. Let me just start off by saying that over the last couple of days I've had the extreme pleasure of meeting some of my fellow panelists, Braulio for example, Right beside me, Dana Cuffe, and over on the far side, Josh Cooper. And I'm going to tell you, to be honest, I don't know why I'm here because these guys are intelligent, they're sharp, they have very high expectations of themselves and others, and so it's a privilege, genuine privilege to join them on this panel. And I should say as well, to be honest, sitting here in the audience listening to these incredible speakers, most especially our youth, who are so capable, so bright, so passionate, so ready to do what they can to improve the lives of people around them. It's beautiful, and I thank you for that. I also want to thank Nicole Crellin. Nicole, why don't you wave? Head of Youth for Human Rights Canada, for contacting me and asking me to be on this panel and then submitting my resume to Mary, who thought, hey, this guy is not a troublemaker, he should be okay. So with that, I just want to ask you guys one question really, which is, have you ever wondered who or what has shaped your beliefs about humanity? I've worked in public education for over 28 years alongside very caring teachers who have fought to give young people a chance every day to be heard, to be seen, and to feel they belonged. I also saw the effects of poverty up close. Students and families struggling because of either familial or societal or legal concerns broke them, to be honest. And today I'm going to tell you that so many of us are feeling these kinds of systems are failing us, and that includes democracy itself. No matter how hard some of us work, no matter how well we do in school, achieving our dreams feels even more difficult than ever before. Yet there are leaders right here in New York, who remind us that individuals can create change for the benefit of all. I think of a man like Mohandas Gandhi, who wrote, if we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change. We need not wait to see what others do. Gandhi showed us that basically lasting change begins with the college— with the courage to decolonize our own mind. The man Gandhi became worked very very laboriously over years and years to decolonize his mind. And we can use his ideas to help each other as human beings. Colonialism divided humanity through false racial hierarchies, dividing people into superior and inferior classes. And these labels even exist today. They still divide us. Take me. I'm a descendant of people taken from India by the British to the Caribbean plantations almost 200 years ago. I was born in Trinidad and came to Canada at the age of 9. In India, if I go to India, I'm not really considered Indian anymore. If I go back to Trinidad, I'm not really a true Trini. And in many parts of Canada, due to colour, I'm not really considered a full Canadian. And yet I'm all of these things. I defy labels, and increasingly most of us do today. As a teacher and principal, I learned that one crucial tool people lack is an understanding of their own history and how it shapes the present. Media and those who control media or own media frames which stories matter, and we see how certain stereotypes are perpetuated. Brown people, for example, are expected to serve but not always to lead. In my country. Even the word immigrant is often associated with exploitation or some sort of illegality. And yet we're in countries like Canada and the US which has one of the highest standards and most stringent and toughest immigration systems in the world. Our schools also privilege certain civilizations. If in school in grade 4 or 6 they say, hey, let's look at ancient civilizations, we are— those students are turned towards certain civilizations first. If we go to certain innovations or certain individuals who created things, the schools and the websites turn to certain individuals first. We need to change that. We need to ensure that more voices matter. What do we do about that? The Canadian Caribbean Indian Cultural Collective, of which I'm a part of and is chaired by a wonderful young man by the name of Varun Kumar, tells the story of Indian people taken by the British as indentured laborers to 19 countries across the world, including Kenya, Malaysia, Fiji, Jamaica, South Africa, and Trinidad. We connect these stories to those of captured Samoans, captured South— people from the South Pacific Islands, captured Chinese people and taken to plantations in the Caribbean, all the way across to other plantations in Australia, and Fiji. In other words, we're revealing a shared history of displacement, resilience, and survival. Marcus Garvey said, a people without knowledge of their past history, origin, and culture is like a tree without roots. We are helping to build a human family tree here, a future where every person can see themselves in our shared history. That is not an extraordinary goal. It is the minimum every human being deserves for a life of dignity and peace. Thank you all very much for listening.


Moderator · Braulio Vargas Núñez [2:40:03]:

Thank you, Peter.


Speaker 125 [2:40:04]:

Thank you.


Moderator · Braulio Vargas Núñez [2:40:04]:

Thank you very much. Our next speaker is Mr. Rachid Abdur. Thank you.


UNIP-UN Canada · President · Rachid Abdur [2:40:14]:

Good afternoon, everybody. It is my profound honor to join distinguished leaders diplomats, educators, advocates, and Dr. Mary Shuttleworth at the United Nations Headquarters as we commemorate 25 years old— years legacy of youth for Human Rights International. This milestone reflects a quarter century of unwavering commitment to advancing human dignity through education, a mission that aligns deeply with my work at the U.S. Institute of Diplomacy and Human Rights, UHIDHR, the International Human Rights Council, IHRC USA, and UNIPE UN Canada. Human rights education is the foundation of peaceful and inclusive society. Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights affirm that education must strengthen respect for human rights, fundamental freedoms. Across my roles in these 3 institutions, I have witnessed how knowledge empowers individuals, transforms communities, and builds resilient nations. When people understand their rights, the rights of others, they become active participants in shaping a more just and harmonious world. For many years, UHADHR has proudly incorporated the educational resource developed by Youth for Human Rights into our rights education program. Using this materials alongside our professional training curricula, we have educated more than 30,000 individuals around the world, including educators, law enforcement officers, healthcare professionals, business leaders, government officials, students, and community advocates. As President of UNIP-UN Canada and High Commissioner, International Human Rights Council, IRASIC USA. My work emphasizes peacebuilding, youth empowerment, and community development. Young people are essential partners in advancing their human rights education. They bring creativity, courage, and a willingness to challenge injustice. The 25-year legacy of Youth for Human Rights International demonstrate the transformative power of youth leadership and their ability to shape a more equitable future. Yet, despite progress, challenges persist. Discrimination, misinformation, and conflict continue to threaten human dignity. Many communities still lack access of quality human rights education. To move forward, we must expand partnership between government, NGOs, academic institution, and diplomatic mission. We must integrate human rights education into national curricula, professional training program, and community initiative ensuring learning is culturally relevant, accessible, and grounded in life realities. As we look forward the next 25 years, our shared responsibility is clear: to strengthen human rights education as a pathway to peace. When individuals understand their rights they stand taller. When communities embrace human dignity, they grow stronger. And when nations commit to human rights education, they build a future rooted in justice and harmony. I congratulate Dr. Mary Shatterworth and Youth for Human Rights International for their extraordinary leadership and lasting contribution to the global human rights movement. Together, we can ensure that human rights education remains a beacon of hope for generations to come. Thank you for giving me the opportunity.


Moderator · Braulio Vargas Núñez [2:45:07]:

Thank you, Mr. Dabu. Next speaker is Mrs. Karen Volker.


URI · Karen Volker [2:45:14]:

Good afternoon. My name is Karen Volker, and I'm with United Religions Initiative. I want to thank the United for Human Rights and Youth for Human Rights International for the honor of joining you today. And congratulations, Mary, on 25 remarkable years. This anniversary means something particularly to us at URI because This marks our 26th anniversary, and reflecting on it, I keep returning to one thought. Human rights and religious freedom are 2 threads of the same fabric. Both begin with the same premise, that every person carries inherent dignity, and both depend on the same engine to make that premise real. Ordinary people in ordinary communities choosing to use their influence to promote peace and dignity for all humanity. URI is a global grassroots interfaith network. We work in 120 countries and we have 14 action areas, from peacebuilding to environmental justice to women's empowerment and human rights. And human rights also is a thread that runs through nearly all of these action areas. Because in our experience, rights are rarely won in the abstract. They are won household by household, bus route by bus route, and classroom by classroom. I want to share 3 examples of concrete actions taken by members of our global network to protect and promote human rights. The first is from Eastern Uganda, where our regional office partnered with a local cooperation circle, a Sufi women's organization, and both Muslim and Christian community leaders to train 120 women in property rights. Women who had been denied ownership of their own homes, many after surviving domestic violence. 70 of those women have since started small businesses. 30 girls, once pulled out of school, are back in the classroom, supported by that same growing income. This is what restoration looks like at the level of one person, one household, and one community.


Speaker 130 [2:47:46]:

Thank you.


URI · Karen Volker [2:47:51]:

The second example moves us from the individual to the institutional. In Sri Lanka, one of our network members partnered together and worked with the government's women's bureau, the national police department, and the transport authority to place safety messaging and emergency hotlines on 1,500 public public buses across 6 districts, a nationwide stand for zero tolerance of harassment in public places, because the ability to use public transportation without fear of sexual harassment is a human right. This example shows what happens when grassroots interfaith advocates work together with formal government institutions to create real change. And our third example looks toward the next generation. In Plateau State, Nigeria, a URI cooperation circle called Malapnin Capacity Building Initiative provides full scholarships to 40 children whose education was interrupted by incarceration or conflict in their families and in the community. This initiative helped to restore these children's basic right to education. One person, one system, one generation, different continents, different faiths, with one conviction running underneath all of it, that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is not a document to admire from a distance, but a set of instructions for how to treat our neighbors.


Speaker 132 [2:49:29]:

Thank you.


URI · Karen Volker [2:49:36]:

I am because you are. I want to say one more thing because it matters especially to this audience. Every one of these efforts was carried forward by women and young people who are too often left out of rooms like this one.


Speaker 134 [2:49:51]:

This—


URI · Karen Volker [2:49:51]:

the inclusion of women, youth, and marginalized voices is not incidental to our work. It is central to it. A human rights movement that does not center youth in marginalized communities is not durable, and it is not truly reflective of the world we are trying to build. In, in this, you or I and United for Human Rights and Youth for Human Rights International share more than an anniversary. We share a conviction that lasting change built from the ground up and carried forward by the very people it is meant to protect. We at URI are grateful to be walking this path together with you. We look forward to the better world we will create together, a world where all individuals live in peace and dignity. And for everybody here who has said— expressed a desire for partnership, please seek us out. URI is a growing global movement and we want to be partners with you. Thank you very much.


Moderator · Braulio Vargas Núñez [2:51:00]:

Thank you very much. Our next speaker is Dr. Kate Atabongne.


Kate Atabongne [2:51:14]:

Dr. Mary Shatterworth, Excellencies, distinguished delegates, fellow panelists, and our youth delegates. Ladies and gentlemen, I bring you greetings from the Republic of Cameroon and from the great state of Maryland. It is a great honor to join you today to discuss a subject that is not only timely but essential to the future of our world: human rights, education, leadership, and the way forward. When I reflect on this theme, one question comes to mind: what kind of leaders are we preparing today and for the future? Are we preparing leaders who simply know how to lead organizations, governments, or businesses? Or are we preparing leaders who understand the value of human dignity, who respect diversity, who defend justice, and who recognize that leadership begins with service? Or are we preparing leaders who understand the value of human dignity? Because without human rights, leadership can become power without purpose. And without leadership, human rights remain ideals on paper instead of realities in people's lives. The two are inseparable. In the words of Nelson Mandela, education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world. Human rights education is about shaping character. It teaches us how to disagree without hatred, How to lead without discrimination, how to influence without oppression, how to recognize that every person deserves dignity regardless of where they come from and where and what they believe or the circumstances in which they were born. These are not just lessons for. children, they are lessons for leaders. Over the last 20 years, I have worked to empower young women advocates through the Miss Africa USA pageant. And I want to recognize some of our queens who are in the house today as youth delegates. Over the last 12 years, my team and I have worked with Youth for Human Rights— Youth for Human Rights International, the D.C. chapter, where we have established advocacy platforms and empowered young women to learn about human rights and take on leadership roles as ambassadors and educators in their communities. Our pageant queens and delegates are actively educating the community on human rights and promoting various causes for humanity. From the steps of Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., sharing booklets, engaging with the public, getting petitions signed, or at embassies engaging in cultural diplomacy, and raising awareness on human rights education. Earlier this year, I was in Cameroon with my team of volunteers, and we were able to introduce human rights education in 4 different schools. For the very first time, students and teachers were learning about Declaration of Human Rights by the United Nations, and they got to learn the 30 basic human rights. The students were very excited to become champions for human rights in their schools and to share the knowledge with their peers. We were able to share helpful tools and educational materials with teachers to be able to incorporate human rights education in their classrooms. During our visit in Limbe, Cameroon, we team— our team was able to provide access to clean running water in all of these 4 schools and surrounding public community. We were able to install taps within the school campus that had no running water, and access to clean running water was really— has really brought life and human dignity to the community. When people understand their rights, they begin to discover their voices. And when they discover their voice, they also begin to understand their responsibility to towards others. That is where leadership begins, not with authority, but with responsibility. The greatest leaders are not remembered because of the positions they held. They are remembered because they expanded opportunity, protected dignity, and inspired others to lead with integrity. Today, our world faces enormous challenges: conflict, displacement, gender inequality and violence, increasing polarization. These challenges cannot be solved by laws alone. They require leaders who have been educated to value humanity above division. This is why investing in human rights education is one of the most important investments we can make in global peace and sustainable development. We must invest in leadership development. Knowledge alone is not enough. We must give young people opportunities to practice leadership through service, dialogue, volunteerism, mentorship, and civic engagement, which is what we do with the Miss Africa USA delegates. We must also ensure that women and girls are not simply included in leadership conversations, conversations, but are empowered to lead those conversations. Communities prosper when women have equal access to education, opportunity, and decision-making. Congratulations, Dr. Shuttleworth, and we are very honored to be part of your organization. Thank you very much.


Moderator · Braulio Vargas Núñez [2:59:08]:

Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Setabong. Thank you. Our next speaker is Mr. Joshua Cooper. Go ahead.


Joshua Cooper [2:59:16]:

Thank you so much. Aloha. O Joshua Cooper ko ʻinoa no Hawaiʻi mai au. I'm Joshua Cooper. It's an honor to be with you here today. Very excited to share with you some of the examples of what we've been doing. We organize the Levels of Liberation to coordinate from the local level To the national, to the global. And what's so important as we look at the points is we imagine— we focus on imagination to implementation in our islands, human rights education in Hawaii. And so it begins with one's conscience, then of course the classroom, then we put the unity into community, then at the capital level, and then a global civil society. And so I'm fortunate enough to teach at many universities. It's important to teach at the university.


Speaker 140 [3:00:02]:

Yes.


Joshua Cooper [3:00:03]:

to show that really that's where most of our moral imagination came awake. There was a time where we found out who we are, what we believe, but most importantly, what we'll do for our beliefs and to make the world a better place. And we're here now, and next month we start teaching at the University of Hawaii, but then later in that month we actually go to Timor-Leste in Dili, and we help them prepare for the Universal Periodic Review. But it's these courses is where they're short— courses that in a way it's an entire master's in just one moment where people go beyond education towards mobilization, towards realization. What's great about this conference is we understand the UDHR, but then we have to actually undertake action at the United Nations to influence these international institutions. And if you look at this course we do in Hawaii, we actually make sure that for the first class on climate change, they go to the the COP and actually attend and participate, and this is usually Indigenous peoples. And in the 490 course, they actually go to the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. The other idea, though, is shorter courses but at the actual UN. In the Global Leadership Academy for Human Rights Advocacy, we take people from outside the UN inside, and they actually focus on certain issues they care about at the UN Human Rights Council. The other institution that we create is called the Global Human Rights Fellows. And so there's 2 right here in the room as well. But it's about pursuing your passion and then making sure through your passion that you can pursue your profession based on what you really care about. And we see that happening there. It's also important, though, to have school at the Summer Academy in Hawaiʻi with anyone— high school, university students— bringing everyone together. But we also realize with more authoritarian regimes, we have to really focus on the capital, and that's the next one. And authoritarian regimes are at the Human Rights on the Hill, and we just finished 20 speakers on that. I've got— but you let her go the whole time. And beyond that though, it's important to look at the Sustainable Development Goals. How many people have heard of the SDGs? Great. How many have participated at a voluntary national review?


Speaker 142 [3:02:16]:

Less.


Joshua Cooper [3:02:17]:

Less. We've got to take this education towards mobilization. Next year is Canada. We should partner to make sure that's a real good review and not just a courtesy review. The other one that's important is climate change. It's the most important issue for youth, and we're actually doing a thing called Talking Türkiye, and that's preparing for the COP negotiations in Turkey, but it's to make sure the youth in Hawaii and around the Pacific can go there and participate. How many people have heard of the Universal Periodic Review, the UPR? Oh, great. That's why I love this group. That's why we keep coming. How many have participated in a UPR though? One. Awesome. That's why we're working on the slides and happy to partner with him. So we organized— when your government doesn't participate like ours, embarrassing moment in history, when you host the UN Charter Conference and then 80 years later you need the Charter, to hold yourself accountable and not fall below the global floor. This is what we're doing. So in California, we work with students to actually do UPR consultations with consulates and also organize with embassies and also with UN missions. Here's one thing we're doing now is testify. And you can actually do this. So Birdie gave you some homework to write a one-pager. I made it a little easier. Just one word.


Speaker 144 [3:03:33]:

One word.


Joshua Cooper [3:03:34]:

It says, I sit in, I speak out, and I stand up for what rights? You can come and take your picture, because everyone loves taking pictures here, over by the signs with these later. The last one, though, is we can't just do everything in here at the UN. We've got to go popular. So we have a TV show now, a Peace Cast called Cooper Union, and it's focusing on what's happening with human rights around the world. And that's important there. The other thing, though, is every day you wake up and it's doom scrolling. So we came up with a calendar of consciousness, courage, creativity, and compassion. And every day it's what's happened in human rights history, whose shoulders are we standing on, what movie with meaning should you watch, what song with soul— I heard Boogie Down earlier by Queen Mother— and most importantly, what actions we can all take with a powerful quote. We're doing city work with municipal multilateralism movements. So these students wrote a letter to the mayor. And the next thing we did with them was they organized and did activities and even marched on the Capitol to see what's possible. So city to city, we can do a lot together. And then we translated the UDHR into ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi, into Hawaiian language. And then that's when the UDHR really became meaningful in Hawaiʻi. So these are all our partners for human rights education in Hawaiʻi. And I look forward to partnering with all of you. And one last quote, just because Bishop Tutu is so important. He said—


Moderator · Braulio Vargas Núñez [3:04:52]:

Thank you.


Joshua Cooper [3:04:52]:

Do your little bit of good where you are. It's those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world, and let's overwhelm the world together. Mahalo.


Moderator · Braulio Vargas Núñez [3:05:06]:

Thank you very much. Our last speaker, the señora Piedad Molano Ortiz.


Speaker 149 [3:05:12]:

Thank you.

Muchísimas gracias.

Excelentísima.

Thank you.


Piedad Molano Ortiz [3:05:18]:

Dr. Mary, excellent guests, and different members and authorities from the international delegations present, present in the room, dear delegates, colleagues, and friends, it's truly my honor to address you from this stage where we are gathered under the same purpose that transcends borders, ideologies, and cultures: to protect human dignity and to build long-lasting peace where human rights are actually a reality for everyone. Allow me to say and ask you a question, not a random question for you to answer with your words, but rather with your actions. How could we expect that someone will respect the dignity of others if they have never known the value of their own lives? That question changed my life, and I found the answer in the children who has scars from violence from young men who never understood their own emotions and families that were hurt because of conflict. It was then that I understood that the true defense of human rights did not begin at courtrooms nor in the Declaration itself, but rather it began in every single human being's heart. And as I was looking for answers, I ran into Nelson Mandela's quote that transformed the way I understood peace. No one is born hating somebody else because of their color of the skin, their origin, or their religion. We learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, then they can also learn how to love. Those words led me to even a deeper reflection. And so then I stopped wondering what's happening with this individual, and then I began to ask what happened that took him or her there. That definitely changed my perspective and the way I would understand human beings. I understand that behind violence there's a lot of fear, behind fear there's pain, and behind indifference there is a story that was never really heard. That's when I understood that if we meant to build a culture of peace, then we should begin by teaching our hearts. And stemming from that conviction, I wrote a book which is labeled Emotions, and then an international model which is called Education for Peace, a proposal that teaches emotional regulation with human rights, global citizenship, critical thinking, and peace culture. Because human rights are not or shouldn't be exclusively taught, but rather should be felt, lived, and they should become in the way in which we relate with others. Today we have seen how that model transfers families, strengthens communities, and helps build more peaceful societies. For one child that learned how to speak its emotions rather than fight one teacher that would inspire with their role model. And once a teacher understands the power of empathy, we can see that peace is not a utopian thought, but rather a race that can be won. Today, I would like to address specifically you, the youth. We often are told that you guys are the future, but I want to tell you that you are our present. The decisions that you were to make today will draft the history of the world you will be inheriting of the upcoming generations. And probably between you, we have our next human rights advocate, our next social leader, your next Ministry of Education, a scientist that maybe would save millions of lives, or maybe a government representative to the UN. Which is why I would like to ask you to join Global Peacemakers, which is the international network of the World Commission on Peace. I'm not asking you to just join this organization, but I'm rather asking you to be part of a full generation that decides to replace indifference with commitment, violence with dialogue, and fear with hope. This is a generation that will build projects for your own communities, that will promote human rights, and that will prove that leadership begins when you decide to serve others. Let me close my, my presentation by a mantra that I have. If one of— if one child can respect human dignity before they learn how to hate, then we would have done more for peace, far more than any other treaty or covenant has ever done by itself. Because peace alone is not just signed in paper, but peace It's shaped in the classrooms, it's shaped in your families, and it's shaped within your communities. But above all, this is shaped in your heart of every single human being. If today, when we step out of this room, one single individual decided to look at a third person with far more compassion, listen to them with far more empathy, and to serve with even deeper love, Then this summit would have been worth it alone, because peace will always begin in a single individual. And today, that person could be any of you. Thank you.


Moderator · Braulio Vargas Núñez [3:11:03]:

Thank you very much, and this is Solano.


Piedad Molano Ortiz [3:11:06]:

Para terminar quisiera To wrap up our presentation, I will follow my native Spanish tongue. Every single of these articles takes life when a single individual decides to listen before judgment, help before ignoring, dialogue over confrontation, and to respect human dignity of somebody who thinks differently than your own thoughts. Human rights, rather than being written words in a single document, will then become in daily decisions. Dear youth, you should know that you belong to a generation that has a capacity for communication that no other generation has ever had before in history. Within seconds, you can share one story with billions of people, and that capacity has a major responsibility on your shoulders. Every text, every post, every conversation, and every decision that you have can contribute to build a culture of respect or a culture of division. Please do not expect to be elder to be advocates for human rights. What I wish for you all in our next 25th year anniversary and we celebrate the next anniversary of Youth for Human Rights, maybe they can tell us that the generation that gathered here today decided to transform the world, and the world not through violence or hate or indifference, but rather through education, respect, leading by example, and by serving others. And to wrap up my presentation, allow me To read a quote from Mr. L. Ron Hubbard: Human rights should become a reality and not an idealist dream. A round of applause for my panelists, fellow. Thank you so much for joining us. Thank you. And our translator friend Mariana, who is always here. Thank you. Thank you, Mariana.


Translator · Mariana [3:13:19]:

And you're welcome. It is my pleasure.


Speaker 154 [3:13:21]:

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Thank you very much.


Moderator [3:13:57]:

Okay. And I'd like to take this moment just to appreciate the sacrifices of our humanitarian— I'll give you that again— of our amazing delegation from Haiti who has traveled through humanitarian crisis to be with us here today. So Please give them a round of applause. And to close out our morning— all right, if I can just have everyone sit down. We're going to close out today with Dr. Ira Helfand. He is the past president of the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War. He's a member of the International Steering Group, International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons of ICAN, which is a Nobel Peace Prize-winning organization, from 1985 to 2017. So I'll have everyone give Dr. Ira Helfand a very warm welcome.


ICAN · Member, International Steering Group · Dr. Ira Helfand [3:15:03]:

Good afternoon, everyone. It is almost lunchtime. We are going to let you go in just a couple of minutes, but I have a message that I need to share with you before then. I work with organizations that are trying to prevent nuclear war, and the theme of this conference, Education for Peace, could not be more appropriate because at this moment we are marching towards a nuclear war, and the vast majority of the human race is completely unaware of this, and that's why we're in such a difficult difficult and dangerous situation. So what is it that we need to educate people about? There are 3 profound messages that we need to understand ourselves and that we need to bring to the whole of humanity. First, nuclear war can really happen. This is not something we read about in history books that people worried about during the Cold War that we don't need to think about anymore. This is a real and Second, if there is a nuclear war, it is going to be much more catastrophic than anything we could possibly imagine. And third, and perhaps most important, while we are heading towards nuclear war today, this does not need to happen. It is up to us whether it does or not. Why do I say that we are closer to nuclear war than we've ever been?


Speaker 157 [3:16:24]:

Why is that?


ICAN · Member, International Steering Group · Dr. Ira Helfand [3:16:25]:

Well, because in the last year and a half, 5 of the 9 countries which have nuclear weapons have been actively engaged in warfare. Russia has continued its invasion of Ukraine, complete with numerous explicit threats to use nuclear weapons. The United States and Israel have attacked Iran twice, with only slightly more veiled threats to use nuclear weapons. India and Pakistan, 2 nuclear powers, have fought a war with each other, a war during which Indian warplanes were bombing a Pakistani airbase on which nuclear weapons were stored, a conflict which could easily have escalated into a full-scale nuclear conflict between these 2 countries, which would have been a disaster not just for the people of South Asia, but as I will describe in a couple of minutes, for the world as a whole. In addition to these flashpoints, points. There's enormous tension on the Korean Peninsula, and there is growing threat of war between the United States and China over the situation in the South China Sea and the future of Taiwan. Besides these geopolitical flashpoints, there are 2 other considerations which we must be aware of. One is the climate crisis, which is daily driving us closer to nuclear war. And as the climate crisis unfolds, unfolds over the next 20 and 30 years, which it will do, even if we do everything we're supposed to do to try to prevent that from happening, as that climate crisis unfolds, there will be enormous stress on societies across the planet, as people within countries fight over scarce resources of food and water, as nations fight over scarce resources for food and water, and as migration on a scale never seen human history envelops the entire planet. We also need to be aware of the extraordinary danger, the increased danger that is created by the rapid development of cyber technology, in particular artificial intelligence, which will enormously increase the danger of nuclear war and which we do not know how to control at this point. So for all of these reasons, we must understand, as I said before, that nuclear war is not something that we read about in history books. This is a danger which we confront today. And so, in view of that, it is important for us to understand what this would look like. What would a nuclear war actually involve? And I want to start by describing what would happen today in an attack on a major city with nuclear weapons. We've all seen images of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. These are very powerful warnings to us of the power of nuclear weapons. But what we most need to understand is that Hiroshima and Nagasaki do not begin to prepare us for what will happen today. The Hiroshima bomb had the force of 15,000 tons of TNT, 15 kilotons. Most of the weapons in the US and Russian arsenal have a force of 100 to 800 kilotons. They are 6 to 50 times more powerful than the bomb that destroyed Hiroshima. And in a war between these countries, it will not be one bomb on one or two cities. A major city like New York or Moscow or Beijing will be targeted with anywhere from 10 to 15, possibly more, nuclear warheads, each of which with the power of 6 To give you an idea of what that would look like, I'm going to use a model of a single very large explosion. The explosive force in this model is actually somewhat larger than we would expect to envelop New York or Moscow or Beijing. The destruction I'm going to describe is an underestimate because you cause much more damage by using many smaller weapons. Within 1/1,000th of a second of the detonation of this bomb, a fireball would form, reaching out for 2 miles, 3 kilometers in every direction. Within this entire area, everything will be vaporized. The buildings, the trees, the people, the upper level of the Earth itself will disappear. To a distance of 4 miles, 6 kilometers, in every direction, the explosion will generate winds greater than 1,000 kilometers per hour. Forces of that magnitude destroy anything that people build. This building that we're sitting in would disappear. There'd be no trace left behind. To a distance of 6 miles, 9 kilometers, in every direction, the heat would be so intense that automobiles would melt. And to a distance of 16 miles, 25 kilometers, in every direction, the heat would still be so intense that everything flammable would burn. Wood, paper, cloth, gasoline, heating oil, it would all ignite. And you would get hundreds of thousands of fires, Which over the next half hour would join together in a giant firestorm covering— spanning, I should say, 50 kilometers, 1,900 square kilometers. Within this entire area, the temperature would rise to 800 degrees centigrade. All of the oxygen would be consumed, and every living thing would die.


Speaker 159 [3:22:00]:

Wow.


ICAN · Member, International Steering Group · Dr. Ira Helfand [3:22:01]:

In the case of New York or Moscow or Beijing, they're all about the same size, we're talking about 12 to 15 million people dead in half an hour. And if this were part of a large-scale war involving these 3 countries, this same kind of destruction would take place at every major city in all of them. All told, in the first afternoon, 200 300, perhaps 400 million people dead. And those who survived in the countries which fought this war would find themselves living in a landscape which we cannot imagine. None of the things we require to keep ourselves alive would be available. There'd be no electric grid, no cell phones, no internet, no food distribution No public health system, no law and order. And in the months following the initial attack, most of the people who survived that initial attack would also die. They would die from starvation, they would die from radiation exposure, they would die from epidemic disease. But this is only part of the story. I've only spoken so far about what happens in the countries that fight the war.


Speaker 161 [3:23:16]:

Yes.


ICAN · Member, International Steering Group · Dr. Ira Helfand [3:23:17]:

This would be a catastrophe for the entire planet because all of these fires would put enormous amounts of soot into the upper atmosphere, blocking out the sun and dropping temperatures across the planet. In a war between the United States and Russia, temperatures would fall an average of 20— excuse me, an average of 10 degrees centigrade. In the interior regions of North America and Eurasia, the temperatures would drop 20 25 to 30 degrees centigrade. We have not seen conditions on this planet that cold in 18,000 years, since the coldest moment of the last ice age. And under these conditions, most of the ecosystems which have evolved since the end of that ice age would collapse. Food production across the entire planet would stop. And according to a study that was published in the journal Nature, in the summer of 2022, in the first 2 years after this war, 3 quarters of the human race, 6 billion people, would starve to death. That same study also showed that a much more limited war, as might take place between India and Pakistan, would also cause global famine, not quite as severe, but bad enough to kill in the first 2 years 2 billion people, a quarter of humanity. This is not the plot of a movie that I've just described to you. This is the danger that we are living with every day that we allow these weapons to continue to exist. And we have to understand that if we do allow these weapons to continue to exist, it is not a question of if, it is only a question of when this will happen. We know of at least 6 instances during the period of the nuclear weapons era when either the United States or Russia began the process of launching its nuclear weapons in the mistaken belief that it was under attack by the other side. And on each of these occasions, we were saved at the last minute when the error was discovered. We have not survived this far in the nuclear weapons era because we knew what we were doing. It's not because we had wise leaders. It's not because we had sound military doctrine. It's not because we had perfect technology. In the words of former United States Defense Secretary Robert McNamara, we survived because, and I'm quoting him, we lucked out. It was luck that prevented nuclear war. And the current policy of maintaining these enormous nuclear arsenals 12,000 nuclear warheads in the world today— of maintaining these arsenals indefinitely is nothing more than a hope for continued good luck. And we all know no one's luck lasts forever. So that is the bad news that I must share with you today, and there's a great deal of it. But there's very important good news as well. None of this needs to happen. This is the future. This is the future that will be if we don't take action, but it is not the future that must be. Nuclear weapons are not a force of nature. It is not as though an asteroid is coming at the planet and there's nothing we can do about it. These are little machines that we've built with our own hands. Most nuclear warheads are about the size size of the chairs that you're sitting in. We've dismantled more than 60,000 of them since the height of the Cold War. We know exactly how to dismantle the 12,000 that remain, and we could do it in about 3 years. All that is missing is the political will to do that, and that is where we come in, because we need to create that political will. Globally, there is an international campaign to abolish nuclear weapons that has now brought about a treaty on the prohibition of nuclear weapons adopted here at the United Nations in 2017 by a vote of 122 to 1. It has been signed and ratified by 75 countries, and an additional 25 have signed the treaty but not yet ratified it. The problem is that none of the 9 countries which have nuclear weapons are part of this process, and so our effort must now turn to getting them to change their nuclear policy, to acknowledge that while nuclear weapons make these countries strong, they do not make them or anybody else on the planet safe, and that it is a requirement for all of our security that these weapons be eliminated as soon as possible. And this is something that we can bring about. I have just one more quick thing to say. By sharing this information with you, I have done something very fairly terrible, I guess, if you didn't know about this before, which is to put an enormous responsibility on your shoulders. If you know that the entire world is at risk and you know there's something you can do about it, you have to take action. And I think we feel that as a weight, as a burden, but I think we need to look at it in a different way as well. We're here at this meeting, all of us, because we want to do good with our lives. We want our lives to matter. We have to understand those of us living today have been given the opportunity to save the entire world, and there is nothing better that anyone can ever do with his or her life. So I urge you all to become involved in this international campaign to abolish nuclear weapons and to take up this struggle with that understanding. There's a passage in the Hebrew Bible where it's reported That God said, behold, I have set before you life and death. Therefore choose life so that you and your children can live. This is the choice before all of humanity today. So let us all act wisely. Let us choose wisely. Let us act with courage and with determination so that indeed our children may live. Thank you.


Moderator [3:29:31]:

Thank you for those very powerful reminders. I think I couldn't have asked for a better close than that, to urge you all to act, to take responsibility, and now to go to lunch. So I'll welcome you back here at 2:50. We'll begin getting started promptly at 3:00 PM. So I'll look forward to that, and you guys have a wonderful lunch. Now, during lunchtime, I have one final reminder. If you are a co-sponsoring organization or a summit volunteer, specifically Enzo and Maggie, please stay in the room with us.


Speaker 164 [3:30:09]:

Thank you.


Moderator [3:30:15]:

Enzo, Maggie, please stay in the room.