Global Alliance for Human Rights - Launch Event

Dear Excellencies, distinguished guests, dear friends, welcome to the official launch of the Global Alliance for Human Rights. This is obviously a very momentous moment for us. It's about global mobilization, bringing together partners across regions and sectors to inspire dialogue, and action on what is most precious to us all, which is, of course, human rights. I'm very honored to be joined today by Cristina Kitzos, la maire de Genève. Vraiment enchanté de vous avoir parmi nous. By Camilla Asano, who is the executive director of Connectors Human Rights, which is actually— and she is online. We have Emilia Saez Carancedo. She's the Secretary General of United Cities and Local Governments, who is beside me. We have Professor Shailendra Singh, who is the professor and he's the head of journalism of the University of the South Pacific based in Fiji, but he's actually currently in the US, so there is at least a little bit less of a time lag. We have Daniel Odongo here with us. Director of Engineering and Product at Usaidi. Roberto Suárez Santos, the Secretary-General of the International Organization of Employers based here in Geneva. And of course I'm delighted to have with us Melissa Fleming, who is the Under-Secretary-General and Head of the Global Communications Department of the United Nations and who will moderate the panel discussion but then also when we open up to the the floor. So really fantastic that we have all of you, and I know there are lots of people, not just in this room, but also all around the world who are joining us because this is a session that is webcast. Also very delighted that my deputy, my new deputy is here with us, our Diana.

To my right. That's the time. As you know, the diverse voices and experiences that are gathered at this historic building, at the building Palais Wilson, and the thousands that are joining us from around the world really send a powerful message. Human rights belongs to all of us. They require all of us at this critical time in history. They are at the core of our shared humanity. They help us navigate difficult choices, but they also point us towards a future that we want to build together. So before giving the floor to the Mayor of Geneva for her welcoming remarks, I would like to invite you to watch a short video on this new global alliance. And I'm glad that we managed to do all of this in time. So we'll watch the video first.

Thank you.

Human rights are the foundation for dignity, stability, and fair progress. They hold societies together, protecting people from from abuse, leaving no one behind. Today, that foundation is under strain. Violations go unanswered. Violence is becoming normalized. Civic space is shrinking. Yet, people are not watching from the sidelines. Instead, so many are carrying the flame forward. Different lands, different lives, one shared truth: Every human being is born free and equal in dignity and rights. Human rights are not abstract ideals. They are not the property of any one culture or ideology. They belong to all of us. They shape how we live together at home, at school, at work, and in public life. They create stability rooted in dignity and progress that is fair, inclusive, and lasting. Right now, across the world, people are asking, What can we do for the future of our shared humanity? A teacher making schools safer. A survivor turning courage into action. An artist inspiring solidarity. A community leader building dialogue. A business championing dignity. A young innovator protecting digital rights. Different paths, one movement, one growing alliance. Imagine. Dialogue. Act, because the future is not something that will happen to us. It is something we are already building by choosing collaboration over fragmentation, hope over fear. This is the Global Alliance for Human Rights. Not one voice, but millions from all sectors of society, from all generations, from all regions. Together, we will advance along four pathways: making rights real at home, Standing with those who defend them, changing how rights are communicated, and injecting them in the technology we use and in the climate action we take. It all starts with what we do next. Join the Global Alliance for Human Rights.

Madame la Maire, vous avez la parole.

Merci beaucoup. Mr. High Commissioner, Madame Under-Secretary-General of the UN Department of Global Communications, Excellencies, Mr. Deputy High Commissioner, distinguished panelists, permanent representatives to the UN, representatives of civil society, and representatives of the many organizations and entities that are part of the large Geneva international ecosystem, ladies and gentlemen, I convey the greetings of the city of Geneva. Let me begin with a quotation from Eleanor Roosevelt: Where, after all, do universal human rights begin? In small places, close to home, so close and so small that they cannot be seen on any maps of the world. Yet they are the world of the individual person, the neighborhood he lives in, the school or college he attends, the factory, farm, or office where he works. Such are the places where every man, woman, and child seeks equal justice, equal opportunity, equal dignity without discrimination. For more than a century, our city has maintained a unique relationship with human rights. As the birthplace of the Red Cross and the Geneva Conventions, the European headquarters of the United Nations, and the capital of multilateralism, Geneva has witnessed the creation and growth of numerous institutions that work every day to protect human dignity. This is why Geneva is not merely a place where human rights are discussed. It is also a city that strives to bring them to life in concrete ways. Through its local policies, whether welcoming migrants, Fighting discrimination, promoting inclusion, ensuring equal access to public services, or fostering citizen participation in our neighborhoods, our community seeks to translate these universal principles into everyday reality. Because major international achievements require strong local roots, Universal principles only acquire their full meaning when they are reflected in people's daily lives. Cities are often the first level at which rights become tangible— the right to education, health, participation, culture, security, and a decent living environment. They are also often the last line of defense against inequality. One example is the courageous way in which Minneapolis responded to ICE raids and opposed the deportation of migrants. This is why the city of Geneva warmly welcomes the creation of the Global Alliance for Human Rights. The alliance embodies an ambition that our city fully shares: to make human rights a living reality at the local level, at the heart of the daily lives of every child, every woman, and every man. We are committed to contributing actively to this effort by sharing our experiences, learning from those of other members, and mobilizing our networks in support of this common cause. One of the Alliance's greatest strengths is precisely its determination to build bridges between the local and the global, between institutions and citizens, between generations, between the public and private sectors, and between academic knowledge and lived experience. Lived experience, sorry. The Alliance motto, imagine, dialogue, Act act, captures perfectly what our times require: the ability to imagine a better future, to engage in dialogue, and to act together to make that future possible. Ladies and gentlemen, we are living through a paradoxical moment. Never have human rights been so codified, and yet never have they seemed so fragile. Climate disruption, identity-based retrenchment, growing inequalities, geopolitical crisis, the integration of artificial intelligence into armed conflicts, which is fundamentally changing the nature of warfare, and the rise in the number of autocratic states all remind us that nothing can be taken for granted. The Varieties of Democracy Institute at the University of Gothenburg publishes an annual report on the global state of democracy. According to its findings, only 28% of the world's population lived in a democracy in 2025. Each generation must choose once again to defend what it has inherited. Through the Global Alliance for Human Rights, Geneva is renewing its commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights. The City of Geneva is proud to support this initiative and hopes that it will become a powerful force for mobilization in the service of our shared humanity, helping in particular to prevent the inversion of values, and to combat impunity. Thank you for your attention.

Merci beaucoup, Madame la Maire. I will now hand over to Melissa Fleming, who is not only a colleague, but a very dear friend and a partner in crime for decades. Yes, I can say that, actually.

Thank you, Volker. Hi, Commissioner. And thank you, Mayor Kitsos, for supporting so enthusiastically the launch of the Global Alliance also and working to make human rights a reality in this city in Geneva and being a model for the world. Today is an important day for the human rights movement. The Global Alliance for Human Rights comes at a time, and you outlined this time very vividly, when the values and the principles enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights are being tested in many parts of the world. Yet we are here because it is a moment of tremendous opportunity to bring together people and institutions across sectors and generations and regions and cities to reaffirm our shared commitment to human dignity, equality, and justice. Today we will hear from leaders representing local government, civil society, academia, technology, and business, and together we'll explore why human matter— human rights matter to each of us and how they connect to people's everyday lives, and most importantly, how this alliance can help mobilize action so that we can join forces all over the world. So let's begin our dialogue with the person whose vision and leadership have helped to bring this initiative to life. High Commissioner, my first question is to you. The world is facing conflicts, polarization, inequality, technological disruption, all of which you often speak about, and in this context, growing pressure on human rights and the fundamental values that we believe in. Why is this precisely the right moment to launch the Global Alliance for Human Rights?

Well, first of all, thank you very much, and we know that we are— there is a —feeling of unease and turbulence among many populations around the world because of what they experience on a daily basis. And actually, on Monday, before the Human Rights Council, I will have the chance again to provide my global update, and it will be a litany of things that are happening in this world that we know we all are not happy with and we all want to find a solution to. And this doom and gloom is And the violations that we see are obviously a reality. So what's the response to all of this? And the response has to be to bring hope to the vast majority— the vast majority— I think we need to bring hope to the vast majorities of people around the world. And we have seen it through many surveys that people actually want a kinder, more just, more fair world. They want to embrace human rights in, in their entirety. They don't want to have this continuation of doom and gloom. So how do we connect them? They often feel also very isolated because there's sometimes a bit of a disconnect between what they experience on social media platforms or even in the media and what it is that they feel themselves. So they often have this feeling, well, am I I'm no longer part of a community that actually helps me advance. So really, the Global Alliance is a bit of an umbrella, is a platform, is a way for us to inspire, to encapsulate the momentum, and to build on the many initiatives that are already underway and to bring them together under one bigger umbrella and to see how we can boost it through this lens that is so important because a lot around the world feel that there is a factor of stability that is currently required and human rights offers just that. Not only because it's normative, also because human rights are and have been a struggle that has a very long history, centuries-long history for liberation, for emancipation, and for freedoms. And it's precisely that what this transformative side of human rights that we want to bring out.

Maybe just on the practical side, because the 80th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is coming up in 2028, what concretely do you hope you will have achieved through this global alliance by then?

So on the 10th of December— I'm sorry, on the 10th of December 2028, we will commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. So if we look backwards from that time, we hope that through the Global Alliance we would, for example, manage from 104 Human Rights Cities that are currently declared as such to maybe 1,000 cities. We would hope that we would have a network of academic alliances across the world, in all parts of the world, that would advance the research that we so desperately need, including on some of the social and economic side. We would hope that technology can be used in the— to the best of its abilities to advance human rights. I mean, we have a number of initiatives that we already— that already exist, but there is a lot of potential and we will have a lot of opportunities also here in Geneva and elsewhere to see the potential of it. That when it comes to gender equality, that we will have a very strong bulwark against what we currently experience as gender equality pushback, that we will have artists, people from the sports, people from culture, that we will have all segments of society, civil society of course, human rights defenders, actually get a boost for the type of activities that they have been undertaking. And it's really— and there will be lots of initiatives. I've heard from many representatives in different countries who are telling me that they're going to use it as a dialogue within even their political constituencies to advance this notion of what human rights has brought to the world and how we can make it a much better— so there are a number of things that we're all going to co-create together over the next couple of months and in the run-up to the 80th anniversary.

Just one last quick I saw that you are also hoping to activate philosophers. Why philosophers?

There— yes. So I had a very interesting discussion with the Francophonie, in the context of the Francophonie, with a Senegalese philosopher, Souleymane Bachir Diagne. And it was a conversation about universalization of human rights. And he has given it a lot of thought. He has in fact written quite a lot of books about this, but it is so important that we do not allow a narrative to set in that divides the world yet again and polarizes the world yet again and says, well, this is a Western product, or this— there is cultural relativism, or this doesn't belong to us. And I think it's really important that we manage also with UNESCO and various parts of the UN system to actually bring forward the evidence that comes from thought leadership, not just from yesterday, but from decades, from centuries, and shows that some of the things and these myths that we see and the prejudice that we also hear about human rights, that this is absolutely— has got nothing to do with today's realities. And by the way, I should also say, because UN Melissa was the first UN principal to immediately embrace the Global Alliance and want to work with us. I should also mention this because, of course, within the UN, we will also need very strong alliances.

Absolutely. We're fully committed across UN Communications. Now we're going to go to our panelists, and joining us first online is Camilla Asano, who is the Executive Director of Connectas Human Rights, one of Latin America's leading human rights organizations. Throughout her career, she has worked at the intersection of local realities, social movements, and the international human rights system. She has witnessed both the transformative power of human rights, also the growing pressures facing those who defend them today. Camila, across many societies we see polarization, shrinking civic and also growing skepticism about international institutions and norms, but we also see extraordinary courage and resilience from communities as well as human rights defenders. So if you could tell us from your perspective, why should we not give up on human rights today?

Well, Under-Secretary-General, I'm convinced that we do not have even the option to give up. But before that, let me thank you, High Commissioner, for the opportunity for Conectas Human Rights from Brazil to be part of this launch of this so necessary Global Alliance Initiative. I'm really happy to be here. And okay, so why should we not give up on human rights today? I see at least two reasons why we cannot give up on human rights. Reason number 1, it's because we are really in the real tipping point. I hear and read a lot of paper talking about the rising of authoritarianism and anti-rights agenda. But the fact is, and we need to face it, we are in the process of the consolidation of authoritarianism. It's no longer only the rising. So this is a process that we should be fighting against. And it's still possible to reverse it. We can stop it now, stop the consolidation of authoritarianism, stop the wave against basic human rights. And just to illustrate why I believe, based on the experience from Connectas and on the ground on fighting for this consolidation of authoritarianism, is because we move from the idea of fighting for non-discrimination now, and we see all of us combatting supremacists, racial supremacism, religious supremacism, nationalisms. And only human rights can offer us a path to overcome this troubled and horrible new reality. But our challenge is not only stopping the consolidation of authoritarianism. We need to stop it and rebuild democracy, rebuild rebuild the international norms and institutions, rebuild the trust on them. And we need to advance for more rights because it's not that we were already there, that the dream of the Universal Declaration was reached already. So I feel like, okay, we need to advance, but advance toward what? And the Global Alliance offers us this beautiful invitation to really envision a future, a future that, like, Connectors or many other civil society brave groups can work towards that desired future. So I really like this idea of a future where governments are accountable, societies are inclusive, economies are fair, innovation puts people first. And the reason number 2 is because this is a battle worth fighting because we see that we cannot give up now. As a Black philosopher here in Brazil, Sueli Carneiro, and I really like that the High Commissioner is embracing and inviting philosophers for this initiative, Sueli Carneiro reminded us that we must remember how we have fought in hard times before. This is not new. We must remember that we had overcome troubled times in the past.

Thank you so much. What do you and your colleagues need most to build and grow your activities and your actions and your human rights movement?

I think we, we need most what the Global Alliance is proposing. That's really alliances, but globally, because we need to remember that the human rights movement is global from its origins. Most of the times we are calling, and I kept myself thinking, oh, the anti-rights movement is is globally, has global connections, and it's growing with international connections. But actually, this is what we used to do to promote and foster respect and rights for all. So, um, I believe it's somehow we're accepting that extremism and ultraconservatives are the one with global connection, and this is not true. We are not alone. We are the ones that knows how to promote human rights, uh, in this global way. And I've I believe that the beautiful 8th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is a reminder for us that it is possible. It was possible at that time when we were really facing as humanity a troubled time. So if it was possible then, we need to reorganize, reunite our collective efforts and face it. And I feel like having this platform will really help us as a Brazilian civil society, but also our partners in the Global South, Global North to face this, well, posing challenge we are now living in.

Thank you so much for, for highlighting all of the challenges but being so optimistic and positive about how we can all join forces through the Global Alliance. Um, if human rights needs renewed energy, it also needs a place where they can become tangible in people's lives. And our next speaker is Amelia Saez Carancendo, who is the Secretary General of the United Cities and Local Governments, the largest global network of local and regional governments. Cities are, as we heard also here from the Mayor of Geneva, they're places where people experience human rights every day. Or where they experience their absence. So whether we're speaking about housing, mobility, participation, accessibility, public services, as you mentioned, refugee and migrant rights, cities are often on the front line where human rights standards need to be translated into concrete solutions. So we are seeing a growing movement of human rights cities in recent years. What does it actually mean to be a human rights city?

Yeah, I, I guess, I mean, you, you have heard a perfect description by one of our founding members, the city of Geneva, what it means to be a human rights city. I guess also in the very diverse membership that we have, you would You can hear many different descriptions. But basically what it means is that without universal local public services, there is no equality, there is no democracy, there is no peace, there is no dignity. To be a human rights city means that you need to be conscious that the services you are providing are transforming the day-to-day life of people, and you need to look through through that prism when you design and define local service provision. And sometimes that means that you will need to deliver even when you don't have a return, that you will have to deliver even when you don't have the competence, even when your mandate is unfunded. Even when the laws, like the mayor was describing in recent cases around migration, is not on your side. But you need to deliver because everybody in your streets are neighbors, simply neighbors, regardless of the status, regardless of where they come from. And so being a human rights city means you need to put care at the heart of local service delivery, and you need to ensure that citizens and communities are not treated like clients. They are actually the right holders of the city that they have the right to. That, that is what it means. It, it sounds very big, but it's not. It's actually as small as it was described before. It is experienced every day, everywhere, in big cities, in small cities, in rural areas. And that's why for us, being part of this global alliance is not really an option. It's a must. You know, we belong here.

That's wonderful. There are— other than Geneva, there are already 100 human rights cities around the world. What would it take to grow that moment? You told me before this meeting that you wanted to grow it tenfold or even more. What would that take?

Yeah, well, the first thing is that probably there are many more cities that are human rights cities and that they are just not identifying with this title. And I think it's part of that work that we need to do in this alliance to change the narrative of what it means, and to shorten the gap between what people that are holding office in local and regional governments around the world identify with. We have experienced also this with the Sustainable Development Goals. It was, for a little while, it was hard to explain to our membership, very diverse everywhere in the world, that that global agenda was their agenda. That, or that what they were doing actually had a direct impact in that sustainability objective. And so this is a little bit the same with human rights. I am convinced there are many more cities in our membership that are doing human rights work, but that they are not identifying themselves with that. And I think this alliance can serve also as an incentive Local elected officials— and, and Madam Mayor, I'm sure you identify with this— local elected officials have a very tough job right now. Jobs have always been very hard to lead people and communities and deliver for them, but right now, with the lack of trust in institutions, is really difficult to, to, to take that step as, as a service provider. And What we think is that we need to break the dichotomy that human rights are something that you can bargain with if you want to achieve development or if you want, you know, a competitive city. We need to ensure that we show that to our membership and we need to acknowledge what they already do. And we think that the platform that is is going to be opened around the Alliance can be a very good incentive to do that. So, you know, I am an optimist by nature, so maybe I am being that now, but I do hope we will have many more cities that will identify themselves with human rights and can call themselves human rights city. And we have an excellent guide about how to create human rights cities. And so we are doing that job. By the way, you need to know, in one week time in Tangier, the local and regional governments of the world are going to come together and they are committing to a human rights charter agenda. And our outcome document will have human rights at the heart of it. So it is possible. So, you know, let us start there.

Thanks. Well, if cities are laboratories for human rights and with their clients as rights holders, as you said, universities help generate the knowledge, evidence, and leadership needed to understand what works and why. So our next speaker is Dr. Shailendra Singh, who joins us from the University of the South Pacific and Fiji, a region experiencing some of the defining challenges of our time, from climate change to inequality. At a time when many challenges transcend borders and disciplines, academia has a critical role to play in connecting ideas to actions. So universities have historically helped societies understand and respond to major transformations. And here it could be interdisciplinary, and with all of the change, this renewed mobilization by academia, could you talk to us about the practical impact you could offer within this global alliance?

Firstly, thanks for the opportunity, hello. We— also congratulations. It is very important milestone. And why I say important is because, you know, if you look at the last 80 years alone, and if it has taught us anything, it's that besides achievements, human rights issues keep getting more challenging and complex, right? They never stay still. They keep evolving and also mutating and making more, more demands, more complex demands. On the human rights advocates. And this is why it's so necessary to keep pace and change strategies, otherwise we get left behind. And this is why today's initiative is so important and so welcome, and I congratulate those who designed this and are implementing it. Now, insofar as academia is concerned, you know, we universities are also at the crossroads. I think one of the questions before academia is to decide between merely analyzing an unfolding crisis, or do we take an active role, a more active role in addressing situations? And I think the moment to make the choice is before us. Now. And there are two core issues which I wish to highlight today, and this would be common knowledge to those who are in academia. And the first is that the knowledge that is produced, especially in the Global South— I'm talking from a Global South perspective— the knowledge that is produced in the Pacific region, for example, is struggling to internationalize. So again, I see the relevance of the Global Alliance here in bringing together academics from across the region and the world. And the other issue, as I see it, is that a sizable portion of university research is targeted at academic journals, and they remain trapped in that elite domain, right? So First, academia needs to break the silos from within. Like any institution, academia is very prone to start working within silos, and that has to be addressed to emphasize interdisciplinarism. I think this is one of the goals of this Global Alliance, and we need to do this simply because one discipline alone one region cannot adequately understand or, you know, address human rights on their own. So yes, we definitely need collaboration across regions and internationally. And the second challenge, as I mentioned, for academia is to make that leap from analysis to impact. This is why I welcome this Global Alliance. Thank you.

Thank you so much for making that case for why we need a global alliance, also for universities to break down silos. But you just flagged that universities can also contribute the data, the evidence, the analysis that we need to show that investment in human rights is a good return on investment. Can you speak to that?

Yes, um, definitely investment. I mean, there's no question about it that investment in, in human rights is— gives you very strong and valid returns. I mean, what we do, what human rights is doing, is lifting people out of poverty and also empowering women, for example. This is where human rights should be targeted at. And I think as our three speakers highlighted, even to this day, despite centuries of work towards human rights enhancement, there are so many people lacking even the basic human rights. For example, housing, and you know, the right to food and shelter and so forth. And that signal signals that there's so much work that needs to be done. Now, for as long as these people are in a disadvantaged situation, um, they can't contribute meaningfully to an economy or to growth. And this is why when you empower people who are in these disadvantaged positions, they can make a huge contribution to the economy, for example. Now there's a lot of talk about development, especially in the Pacific region, which is of course a developing region. And impoverished in some respects. But most of the time, development is measured and seen in terms of GDP alone, right? So development focuses on encouraging and enhancing business and economic activity at the elite and higher levels. And a lot of the time, the grassroots people and those who are really in need, they are forgotten. Right? So I believe that development is meaningless unless— until it lifts people out of poverty and sort of addresses things like gender imbalance, violence, gender violence, for example, which is rife in our region. So I think we should not have a myopic view alone in terms of development and GDP. And this is where human rights should make a push and try to get more recognition as well as funding. Because there's no question about it, right? Development is meaningless unless everybody has an equitable share in the progress that is being made.

Thank you. Thank you so much, Dr. Singh. I think there was— there are a lot of nodding heads in the room, and you've echoed a lot of the messages of the Secretary-General. Who has been spearheading a Beyond GDP global exercise to actually capture exactly what you just mentioned, that there are other ways to measure and inequalities are what we need to address before we can get anywhere in terms of progress. So thank you so much. And now, knowledge obviously matters, as you have highlighted, but it only creates impact when it reaches people and helps communities act. And technology can make that happen today. Daniel Ondogo is Director of Engineering and Product at Ushahidi, a global not-for-profit organization, a technological organization based in Nairobi, right? He's just off the plane from Nairobi this morning, that develops digital tools to enable people to to generate solutions and mobilize communities for good. What began in 2008 as a platform to monitor and map post-election violence in Kenya has evolved into a global platform that is providing tools to inform decisions of people and communities to stop suffering and influence change. So, I'd like to ask you a question about that. In an era increasingly shaped by AI, and digital technologies, how do we ensure that technology is inclusive, that it does empower communities, that it isn't biased, and that it amplifies human agency rather than replacing it?

Thank you. Thank you very much, Melissa, for that question. I'll start with definition of usahidi. For those who might not know Swahili, which is the majority of the room, I guess, ushahidi is a Swahili word that means testimony or to witness. And I'll share just with a simple idea that at the end of the day, no matter what we do, technology should not speak over people. And what does this mean is that technology needs to be helping communities to be heard more clearly, safely, but also early enough for something to be done wherever they are. Over the last 20 years, in our work in trying to help communities to raise their voices on the issues that matter the most to them, we've realized one thing, that the first signals that social systems are breaking will typically not be recognized by formal systems. Guess where they show up first? In that radio station caller who is talking about what's happening outside their window, on the voice note on that popular social messaging app on your phone, likely in your local language. And what does this mean? The context matters, right? Trust matters. And on their own, these signals might seem very small. It might seem like something very innocent you're receiving on your phone. But at the end of the day, technology is enabling you to be able to actually identify patterns, and part of the work that we do at USAID in crowdsourcing is to be able to understand, okay, where is the misinformation manifesting? Where are we seeing patterns that could have been hidden, right? And also, which voices are being left out of the discourse? And artificial intelligence sort of presents new possibilities. You're able to translate much faster what's happening. You're able to map much faster. However, in human rights work, like I said, the lived experience matters, and as such, technology should be a copilot, and artificial intelligence should be a copilot for human judgment, but not a replacement. For human courage. So that's the message that we try to push as a platform that has been around for 20 years serving communities that are described as low resource or low tech, but at the end of the day, we would like to think that if we build with these values, what is built for Nairobi might as well work for Geneva, right?

Yeah. You heard absolutely. I think we all agree. We definitely need technology based on values. And also that serves those who are missing out right now. In one of the ways you did this was Ushahidi was part of the inaugural RightsX summit here at Palais Wilson last last year, and this brought together youth and innovators, technologists, human rights defenders, and policymakers to discuss and share digital solutions in support of human rights work. So why do you believe initiatives like RightsX are needed, and how can you extend, using your platform, this initiative?

I think just a reflection of last year, is that it was the mix of people in the room, right? You had human rights defenders who understood the risks. You had policymakers who were thinking about safeguards. You also had technologists like Ushahidi who are sort of trying to build practical tools that are rooted in the realities on the ground. Why is this— why was this important, and why is this even important as we have a successive year where we sit at this forum? It's because I think there was a mention of silos, right? The tech is being built in one room, the policymaking is being built in another, and the communities are being consulted in the end. And that's the picture we typically see. And the opportunity that RightsX has is to to sort of create a different type of space. And we need more spaces where human rights actors are being able to shape the tech agenda. And human rights actors should not be playing catch-up to the technology. But, you know, RightsX is presenting an opportunity where it's that bridge between innovation and accountability. I think that's what we'd like to see.

Thank you so much. If human rights could shape the tech agenda from here on in, I think we would all be grateful. Thank you so much for your contribution to that and also by showing by example that it can be built in a country like Kenya and be scaled around the world. So thank Thank you you very much for that. The private sector also has a critical role to play in building the future we want to build. Roberto Suarez Santos is Secretary General of the International Organization of Employers, representing businesses from every region of the world. And increasingly, leading businesses recognize that respect for human rights and human dignity cannot be an afterthought. Maybe even it's good for business, you'll tell us. Yet important gaps remain between those commitments and their implementation. So from your global perspective, where do you see those gaps between commitment and practice when it comes to business and human rights?

Thank you, Melissa. First, let me start from my heart saying that we enthusiastically embrace the coalition and we want to be engaged because we believe in it. And we want to be not just a partner, contribute to make meaningful contributions also to the business and human rights agenda. You know, when— let me also disclose you something. When I came here to Geneva 14 years ago, I was Deputy Secretary-General of my organization and I remember very well my predecessor, Frank Wilton, who was very, very much involved in the Business and Human Rights Principles. By the way, that's another anniversary. He told me, you need to come to me to a webinar that we are organizing on the Business and Human Rights Principles. I didn't know what webinar meant at that time. Of course, I didn't dare to ask what webinar was about. And at that moment, I have to confess that there were just few people attending this webinar, and I tried to understand what the business and human rights principles meant. Brent told me, very wisely, this is going to be a big, big trend in business. At that moment, in my organization— and I'm going to disclose you more things on that, because we have, of course, more conservative forces, but more progressives, big corporations, small and medium companies— there were some people saying, well, this can be a fashion. Or something that could also, you know, be linked to an initiative. I have to tell you that right now, and we say that very clearly, if you think that you can do business in a sustainable manner, especially if you are globally, without integrating your duty to prevent, mitigate, access to remedy, You are wrong. You're totally wrong. It's just cheating ourselves. And the reason why I keep telling that is because that comes from business itself. It's not just because Mr. Parker has now a great initiative, which is great, and we want to work efficiently. It's because business operating globally need to integrate its risks, but also its values and its ethics. And that's there. That's the hope that I want to bring there beyond all the turbulence that we have now. And we know that countries— I've been also with Ambassador of Colombia, our friend from the Chinese also— beyond all the turbulence that we have now, this is there to stay. And this is there to stay in a meaningful manner. Of course, there's this voluntary, not voluntary. You cannot understand human rights as something voluntary. I mean, that's no way. And that affects your value chain. The main challenge, and that's answering your question, Melissa, is how you integrate that in efficient partnerships with other stakeholders. It's been also great also to listen to other— I was when Emilia was talking about the awareness in the in the towns and cities. I felt like also in business, sometimes our members are not aware in some areas of the world that the business human rights agenda is, as you said, Melissa, is good for business. I mean, it helps you to be competitive. So right now, the awareness is growing at global level. Local players, you can see also business of Honduras, Guatemala, Indonesia. It's amazing to see how engaged they start with. But there is still much, much to do in terms of awareness, much more on capacity. And that's where we need to work together. Because in practical terms, what does it mean for them, how they integrate, how they collaborate for access to remedy on child labor? Today, by the way, is the Child Labor Day. I mean, we also should be also committed to that. Forced labor, non-discrimination, how do you integrate the indigenous populations community in an effective manner. That's the practical approach where we need to be more efficient. And that's why I'm saying that we enthusiastically endorse, embrace, because we were, you know, really willing to have this partnership with all of you. We cannot do it alone, please. We cannot be in our own silos. That's my first answer to your question.

Yeah, just maybe following up with— I mean, you said, and you echoed what I hoped you would say, that it is good for business. Is there pressure from consumers that is useful? Obviously, we can say it's the right thing to do not to employ children or use forced labor, but what about consumers? Well, there is—

Good data there on how important it is for consumers to know, understand that the product that they are consuming is not linked to any child labor, forced labor, or non-discrimination. It's true that sometimes also there are other elements that are coming, but no— I mean, especially in some economies that's becoming a big trend. But also, don't forget that investors and the investment trend is pushing hard on this agenda. Again, despite all the turbulence, despite all the ESG, if I have to also highlight, if I may also, something in which we really need to be smart is how we avoid this fragmentation of regulation because an uncertainty. That's where we need to be, you know, much more aligned in an alliance to see how we can frame it in a manner that is enabling, especially in small and medium companies, but also how to avoid uncertainty. But yes, the trend comes also from society. I mean, and because we are global, I mean, technology, I mean, we are now just, you know, some people saying we are not going back to protectionism. No, it's not true. Technology, AI, is bringing us more together. And we have global problems that we cannot go with local solutions. It's global solutions. And the fact is what's going on in a country like— sorry to mention one— Senegal is more and more affecting what I think here in Geneva, and that's going to stay here, and that affects the consumption behavior, investors, but also many other stakeholders.

Thank you so much for that. That gives us all hope, I think. We'd now like to hear your reflections, ideas, and challenges, dear audience, to allow as many interventions as possible. We would like to ask you to keep them to 1 minute. They could be in the form of a question or it could be a remark. And we already see so many plates from distinguished representatives and other organizations, but— and I'm going to come to you, but first we have a big priority here, and that is to give the floor to two students of grade 10 who I was told were enthusiastic to learn that through this new alliance we will be able to commit to bringing human rights education in all schools. So, Rosa and Alexandra, the floor is yours. Yeah, okay.

Hi. We're students at Echelon. I'm Rosa Stranger-Jones. Is that right? Yeah, okay.

So last year, we got the chance to speak at the UN because of 9innovate, which is a school project-based initiative that focuses on educating us on a number of international issues, including human rights. That experience really reinforced to us the importance of all young people being educated on these rights so that we can use that knowledge to sort of stand up for our own rights.

And for those of others.

Uh, we also think that the world really needs more human rights, um, accountability right now. Uh, a human rights-based leadership leads to sort of strong, fair leaders, and that's what we'll need from our generation, uh, which is why it's so necessary for human rights to be brought and introduced into classrooms.

Okay, so I'm Alexandra Ola Haugen, and building off of what Rosa said, there are certain things that we would like to see in every classroom across the world. For example, we think that children and young people need to understand what human rights are and what they're not. Uh, we need to understand how to use human rights as a way to claim a fair future based on equality and respect for everyone. And we need to be given access, um, to discussions that concern our future in order to defend our rights and the rights of others. Learning about human rights has been important for us, um, but it shouldn't be considered a privilege. It needs to be accessible to all youth worldwide. We as young people should not only have a voice about human rights in the classroom though, because children from all over the world must participate in the global alliance. Our voice matters. We are the future. Thank you.

Thank you, Rosa and Alexandra, and Volker just wants to respond to you really quickly.

Well, first of all, many thanks for joining us and for delivering such good ideas, and you have my—our commitment that we will make sure that Students all around the world can participate in the Global Alliance, and what you said is absolutely spot on.

Fully agree. Thank you. I'm going to now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Mexico. Good afternoon.

Thank you so much, distinguished High Commissioner, distinguished Mayor, Distinguished Excellencies, panelists, and colleagues. Mexico warmly congratulated the High Commissioner Volker and his team on the launch of the Global Alliance for Human Rights. We live in a moment when the multilateral system and the human rights architecture face real and serious pressures. The Global Alliance responds to this challenge with a clear vision: broad participation, concrete actions, and coalition of actors. By bringing together not only states, but also cities, universities, indigenous people, artists, faith leaders, and youth movement and children, the Global Alliance creates a new architecture for human rights engagement, one that reaches beyond formal institutions institutions and speaks to people directly. Mexico has chosen to support this initiative because we see in it a genuine opportunity to reconnect human rights with the communities they are meant to serve, to strengthen institutions that are under strain, to have a real impact on the ground where it is needed, and to demonstrate through actions that human rights are not an abstraction but a living commitment. Finally, as you know, today in Mexico City we are hosting the opening match of the 2025 Football World Cup. And doing a parallelism, we have to play together as a team for promoting the Global Alliance for Human Rights.

Thank you very much. I thank the Ambassador of Mexico, and I think we all wish you the best of luck, Mexico, Mexico City, for your hosting, but also thank you for pledging your support to the Global Alliance. The next speaker is Finland, and I believe you're speaking on behalf of neighboring countries too.

Mr.

High Commissioner, Excellencies, distinguished colleagues and friends, I have the honor to make this statement on behalf of the Nordic Baltic States. We warmly welcome the initiative to establish the Global Alliance for Human Rights and express our sincere appreciation to all those who have been working to bring this to launch. We gather at a time when human rights are under increasing strain. Across regions, we see growing challenges to fundamental freedoms, to rule of law, and to the very idea of universality of human rights. And in such context, our shared responsibility to uphold and protect human rights is more urgent than ever.

We see the Global Alliance on Human Rights—

for Human Rights as a timely response to a clear need expressed by many stakeholders, the need to strengthen cooperation and to bring renewed energy and coherence to human rights efforts worldwide. The Nordic-Baltic States support the inclusive and multi-stakeholder nature of this initiative.

The human rights are not advanced by governments alone, they are shaped very much upheld also by cities and municipalities, by businesses, civil society, academia, youth, the media, artists, and yes, philosophers as well.

Bringing these actors together can create new synergies and broaden ownership of our shared commitments. Looking ahead, Nordic-Baltic states hope that the Alliance will evolve into a practical and action-oriented platform one that helps identify and scale up effective solutions, strengthen the protection of human rights globally and at grassroots level, and reinforce human rights education across societies. We envisage the world free from torture, ill-treatment, and discrimination, a world where gender equality is achieved and where technologies serve people and the planet. We support the continued development of the Alliance and welcome further dialogue on its its future direction. Thank you.

I thank the Ambassador of Finland. Speaking on behalf of the Nordic and Baltic States, thank you also for pledging your support and also for those very practical suggestions. Our next speaker is the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of France.

Merci beaucoup. France warmly welcomes the launch of the Global Alliance for Human Rights. France is firmly committed to the universality and indivisibility of human rights and attached the greatest importance to their protection and promotion and to the work of the Office of the High Commissioner. We are convinced that the Global Alliance, as a multi-stakeholder coalition can, through practical actions, give new energy and impetus to the values and principles of humanism, human dignity, individual emancipation, justice, solidarity, and equality, mobilize states around concrete commitments to ensure principles are translated into action, strengthen the voice of civil society, which is on the front lines, and beyond, rally all those who are committed to defending human rights and create synergies between them: UN agencies, civil society, citizens, business, cities, children. France pledged to contribute actively to the Alliance by sharing its conviction, and I would even say enthusiasm, its feminist diplomacy, its expertise, thinkers, philosophers, academia, and resources. And we intend to allocate part of our annual contribution to OHCHR for this purpose. Mr. High Commissioner, you can count on France's full support to carry the torch of enlightenment, the torch of this Alliance for Human Rights, which is in the end an alliance for our shared humanity. Merci beaucoup.

I thank the Ambassador of France also for your support and for pledging to carry the torch. Our next speaker is the Ambassador of Lebanon.

Sir High Commissioner, Madame Mayor, dear colleagues. When women— when human rights become casualties of conflict, the principles of the Global Alliance are a resounding reminder that we should do more, and together. In this context, Lebanon warmly Welcome the launch of the Alliance. As hostilities continue to inflict devastating humanitarian consequences around the world, and in particular in my beloved country Lebanon, the protection of civilians, respect for human dignity, and compliance with international humanitarian law should imperatively remain our legal and moral compass. For Lebanon, support for human rights is inseparable from support for a rules-based international order. The credibility of that order depends on the consistent application of international law without selectivity or double standards. When violations go unaddressed, the protection of all people is weakened. Today, more than ever, we must strengthen multilateral cooperation, defend the universality of human rights, and uphold accountability as a cornerstone of lasting peace. Lebanon, therefore, supports the Global Alliance as a platform for collective action, dialogue, and solidarity in advancing human rights and safeguarding the principles that unite the international community. And if I may, Melissa, if you want to have hashtag after this meeting, it's hashtag of human rights for all and by all. And I thank you.

Thank— I thank the Ambassador of Lebanon, and I think that is definitely an underlying slogan Human Rights for All and by All, and thank you very much for pledging your support. I'm now going to ask the representative from the Center for Sports and Human Rights to take the floor.

Thank you very much. The Center for Sports and Human Rights is a human rights organization for the world of sport headquartered in Geneva. The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights is a permanent observer. The Center for Sports and Human Rights fully supports the Global Alliance for Human Rights, focusing on sport activation and on collective action. At our flagship event, the Sporting Chance Forum, that will take place in November 2026 in London, um, we commit to revisit also the pledges done at the 80th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Building on the comment from the colleague from Mexico, which is also a member of the Center for Sport and Human Rights, I would like to remind the audience that indeed today marks the beginning of the World Cup. May we all work together to build a world of responsible sport, where international human rights law applies in sport, where people are safe, protected and respected, and where sport is successfully inspiring all of us, bringing us together and contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals. Thank you very much.

Thank you so much. Thank you for your support. And I'd now like to ask the distinguished Ambassador of Greece to take the floor.

Thank you so much, dear High Commissioner, Under-Secretary-General, Mayor Kitsos, Colleagues, friends. So just to very briefly but very enthusiastically voice Greece's support for the Global Alliance. In these dark times of authoritarianism and war, we needed such an initiative. We need an initiative that will be action-oriented and which will mobilize and empower people around the world to not feel alone and to strive for a better, more equitable future, for future generations.

So Greece will fully support the initiative.

We claim the right to organize the first Philosopher's Dialogue in Athens, and you can count on us.

Thank you. Thank you so much, and that is a very welcome announcement. And very appropriate. So thank you very much for that invitation. I would now like to give the floor to the distinguished Ambassador from the European Union.

Thank you so much and congratulations to you, High Commissioner, and to your team as such for launching this very, very timely initiative.

We have supported you from the start.

And we will continue to do so because we too feel that we urgently need to broaden and strengthen the commitment and also the implement— to the implementation of human rights by all, as it was just said as well.

And we are very happy to see your suggestions on how to refresh the narrative on human rights and bring together really all stakeholders from all different walks of life, and lovely to see so many of them here today.

Today already, and so this is really creating an energizing basis for taking this conversation forward. You are envisaging fostering conversation, collaboration, partnership, and getting concrete.

So this is really about action, this is about doing, this is about bringing people together to talk.

We need to mobilize in order to achieve more impact on the ground, and that was also raised before, it is about impact because human rights are the basis for development of people, of countries, of democracies, of economies, and this is the narrative that we need to jointly push forward, and the European Union will gladly contribute to the catalytic initiatives and further steps. And let me also just echo what our young friends said, It's really crucial that the youth is at the table, and it is, as they said, not a privilege, but it is a right and it is a necessity. So really applauding you also for bringing them into the conversation.

So all the very best for the participation, great success for— to you and to all of us.

And just to say, we are delighted to offer the reception today and use that opportunity to network. Further. Thank you so much.

Thanks to the Ambassador of the EU for those really supportive words, the reception too, and I believe there's going to be a magnificent cake as well. I hope I didn't give away the surprise, but thank you very much. I'd now like to give the floor to the International Service for Human Rights, ISHR.

International Service for Human Rights. Is this on?

Yes. Hello. Thank you. The International Service for Human Rights welcomes the launch of the Global Human Rights Alliance, and we commend the High Commissioner's vision and leadership in this regard. We believe that building a multi-stakeholder movement is one way to revitalize and reaffirm our collective belief in human dignity, equality, and justice. The Alliance has the potential to become an important platform for collective action. To realize that potential, however, several elements will be critical. First, membership must be grounded in clear and enforceable standards and open to those who demonstrate a genuine commitment to universal human rights principles. Secondly, participation must involve meaningful action and not merely symbolic endorsement. Thirdly, accountability is essential. Otherwise, there is a real risk that commitments remain purely performative. And finally, while we welcome the catalytic role of the High Commissioner and the OHCHR, the Alliance should, over time, establish an independent governance structure and adequately resourced secretariat to ensure both sustainability and credibility. At the same time, in a context of diminishing resources for human rights work, The Alliance must be in solidarity with NGOs by adopting methods of work that equally strengthen civil society. We look forward to engaging further in the development of this important initiative. Thank you so much.

Thank you so much, and also for those constructive suggestions and for pledging your support. I would now like to give the floor to the Ambassador of Barbados.

Thank you, thank you very much, High Commissioner. Thank you very much, uh, Madam Mayor.

Thank you very much, um, uh, Miss Fleming. So Barbados very much welcomes this, this initiative, or rather this, this movement, because this is a movement. It is fresh, it is multi-dimensional, it is inclusive, it is results-focused, and it really sends the signal that despite the attacks on multilateralism, on vulnerable groups, on a rights-based approach to growth and development, that we are prepared as a community to be on the right side of history.

Through this, you are giving us—

we are taking license to the community to push back against the pushback and to take back wokeness as a good and positive thing and to actively support human rights norms and values.

Thank you. I thank the Ambassador for Barbados for those very powerful and very inspiring words. I'd now like to ask the Ambassador from Slovenia to take the floor.

Thank you very much, Mr. High Commissioner, distinguished panelists, Excellencies. Slovenia warmly welcomes the launch of the Global Alliance for Human Rights, and we are proud to stand among its early supporters. A time when human rights are too often portrayed as abstract or divisive, this alliance offers something profoundly important: a positive vision of human rights as a shared project for humanity. As Slovenians, We are inspired by the words of our great poet and thinker, Frantzösisz Prósper Széren, who wrote that the future belongs to all people living together in peace and mutual respect. More than 180 years later, that vision remains at the heart of human rights. The Global Alliance rightly recognizes that human rights must not remain confined to conference rooms and legal texts, but they must live in our schools, cities, businesses, our digital spaces, and our responses to the triple planetary crisis as well. I'm very glad to hear that my Greek colleague has offered to host the first 21st century philosophers circle, because in a world increasingly shaped by algorithms and artificial intelligence, we must never stop asking a deeply human question: What kind of society do we wish to build together? The answer, we believe, begins with human dignity. Slovenia therefore stands ready to contribute actively to this Alliance and to help transform human rights into a living reality for people everywhere.

I thank you. I thank the Ambassador of Slovenia for her very inspiring statement, and I think human dignity is definitely part of the DNA of this global alliance. I would now like to give the floor to the Ambassador of Jordan.

Bismillahirrahmanirrahim. Good afternoon, everyone. High Commissioner, Under-Secretary-General, and Mayor of Geneva, colleagues.

I think this room is speaking about itself.

The Global Alliance comes at a very important moment and it is now time to work together into seeing how we could develop this process into more inclusive, more diverse, and more productive manner that is needed at the world stage today.

Jordan is looking forward to be working with everyone on that and The ideas being explored today, I think they are really on our radar. So thank you everyone and rely on Jordan on the work on this.

Thank you. I thank the Ambassador of Jordan for pledging his support to the Alliance. And now I'd like to ask the representative from the International Chamber of Commerce to take the floor. Do we have the representative from the International Chamber of Commerce? Ah. Okay. I'm sorry.

Let me just switch with my neighbor. Okay. Thank you so much.

Yes. The International Chamber of Commerce represents millions of companies worldwide, and we were established 100 years ago with a mission based on neutrality and independence and in promoting access to justice, integrity, and respect for rule of law. ICC is the only business organization with observer status at the UN.

Our purpose is to promote—

to make a positive contribution, including by promoting high levels of responsible business conduct worldwide. And we look forward to continuing to support this in a practical way through concrete tools on the ground, the responsibilities of companies to respect human rights, including within the scope scope of the Global Alliance for Human Rights.

Thank you so much for that supportive statement. I would now like to give the floor to the distinguished representative of Italy, the Ambassador of Italy.

Thank you, Chair.

Also, Italy warmly welcomes the launch of the Global Alliance, and I would like to open a brief focus on culture and disability rights in order to guarantee universal accessibility for everyone. Italy has a long-lasting tradition on this field with a network of stakeholders, institutions, civil, civil society organizations, actors from the private sector, and we would like to translate these universal principles on disability rights into concrete, measurable actions on the ground. So, looking forward to exploring synergies, sharing our national expertise, and seeing our stakeholders engage with the Alliance to foster this crucial dialogue. Thank you.

I thank the Ambassador of Italy also for your your incredible support for culture and disability rights, and bringing this into the Global Alliance is very welcome, I must say. I would now like to ask the distinguished representative of Switzerland, the Ambassador of Switzerland.

Hi, Commissioner, Under-Secretary-General, Mayor, Excellencies, dear colleagues. Let me thank you first, hi, Commissioner, for your leadership in initiating this critically important global initiative for human rights at this critical juncture in the run-up to the 80th anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and in parallel to the Global IHL Initiative. We sincerely hope that this critically important initiative will develop global reach authority and impact in all corners of the world, as Mr.

Odongo has highlighted. We'd also like to see an inclusive alliance, of course, which involves all important stakeholders, as highlighted by Mr.

Soares Santos. As our mayor, Kristina Kitas, has said, as your host state, We will, of course, actively and enthusiastically support the initiative here in Geneva, the capital of international humanitarian law and human rights law.

As we, as we've heard from almost all the speakers who have spoken so far, human rights are the basis of almost everything else, and sometimes it's not even It's always rewarding, but sometimes it's not even necessary to go back to the Greek philosophers in our search for clarity and orientation. Sometimes it's enough to just consult and remember what our forefathers decided when they adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and in which we can read, I quote, human rights are the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in, in the world. If we're not able collectively to strengthen and reinforce fundamental human rights norms and principles, we will not be likely to tackle all the other existential global problems and challenges with which we're faced. So, uh, as the Swiss delegation, we're eager to support you, High Commissioner, and to partner with all delegations and friends, partners in this room and beyond in turning this important initiative into a success.

Thank you very much.

I thank the Ambassador of Switzerland for also pledging active and enthusiastic support and also partnership and for quoting that really important passage. From the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. I would now like to give the floor to the Ambassador of Uruguay.

Thank you so much, Chair, and good afternoon, everyone. It's a real pleasure for Uruguay to witness and to be part of this energy and also such an important moment of of willing to transform our world. For some time now, many people, stakeholders from different backgrounds, we've been asking, what can we do? What can we do to protect our system, our protection, to preserve it, to preserve our protection system of human rights and to replace human rights at the center of everyone's life. And we share, High Commissioner, your belief that human rights must always be part of the solution. And of course it's natural that it's your office and you that are initiating this movement, because I agree with my colleague from Barbados that this is a world movement and a global tool for human rights. And one week ago, our colleague Anita from Slovenia, she mentioned that the beautiful thing about this movement is that it's being launched today, but that we really don't know how far it will take us. And I think she's right, and this will depend on our side and what kind of action we are going to contribute to this alliance. So in this sense, I would like to express the full support of Uruguay. We are happy to contribute and we are willing to to see how we can commit in this trip for human rights. Thank you very much.

I thank the Ambassador of Uruguay for pledging that support and reminding us all that it is on all of us to make this alliance a success. I'd now like to give the floor to Kandersteg International Scout Center.

Mr. High Commissioner, distinguished guests, thank you very much. First of all, I'm super happy and even a little bit proud of seeing an alliance like this being launched and human resources— sorry, human rights being at the very core of communities, governments, formal education institutions, and many more other stakeholders. Over the last hour, uh We've heard how crime and violence, polarization, and many other bad things have been increasing gradually in our world, and that's not good. However, I'm here to bring a little bit of optimism, like Mrs. Saif García. I'm also a little bit of an optimist. So over the last years, on the same time frame, some non-formal education spaces have also massively been growing. In my case, in the case of scouting, have gone in the last 2-3 years from 50 million young people engaged to 60 million people engaged. So I'm here to say that what I have learned over the last years is that while there is dark out there, there is also light out there. And I'm here also to look at governments, communities, formal education to say, If you're looking for allies in how to champion human rights, in a Scout, you're gonna find one. You're gonna find a strong one, a growing one. So we can help you and support you in being really in touch with communities, with neighbors, with associations there on the ground where things are happening, where things are challenged, and where things can be as well solved. So we can offer young people a holistic, comprehensive, educational framework so they can be not just students and young people, but actually good, committed leaders, not only of tomorrow, but of today. Your voice here today sounded very strong, and that's because you're here to lead today and to be heard today as well. So that's my message today, that hopefully through that cooperation and engaging with, with different kind of educations and different institutions, we can together, through the Alliance, create a better world. Thank you very much.

I think that deserves an applause. Thank you. Thank you so much for that commitment. That would be extremely powerful to bring young people into the Global Alliance and into understanding human rights and its value to them and to building a better world. So thank you very, very much. I would now like to call on the Ambassador of Montenegro.

Thank you very much, Madam Chair, Mr. High Commissioner, Madam Mayor, and other esteemed panelists and excellencies. Let me first express Montenegro's deep appreciation for the High Commissioner Turk's principled leadership, vision, and steadfast dedication to protecting and promoting human rights worldwide, as well as for the invaluable work of his office in strengthening the international human rights system in a time of profound challenges. As divisions deepen both within and among societies, human rights remain an indispensable anchor for international cooperation, social cohesion, and collective action. It's therefore timely to witness the launch of the Global Alliance for Human Rights. Montenegro welcomed this initiative from its inception and was proud to support it earlier this year during the Human Rights Council High-Level Segment. By bringing together a broad range of actors and voices around shared commitment to human dignity and human rights, the Alliance has the potential to generate renewed momentum and energy strengthen collective ownership, and inspire action well beyond traditional human rights, uh, cycles. Ultimately, the value of this initiative will be measured by its ability to deliver tangible benefits for individuals and communities and to strengthen the implementation of human rights on the ground. Montenegro looks forward to working with partners across regions to ensure that this alliance translates our commitment into meaningful action and lasting impact on the people's everyday realities. Thank you very much.

Thank you, Ambassador. Thank you also for pledging your support. I would now like to give the floor to the distinguished Ambassador of Colombia.

Thank you, Excellencies, dear colleagues and friends. Good afternoon. Distinguished High Commissioner, dear Volker Türk. On behalf of Colombia, let me congratulate and thank you for this very accurate initiative. Human rights are the backbone of the coexistence of human family. This coexistence is facing serious threats, as we have discussed about it, precisely in these times when international law including the UN Charter, international humanitarian law, and international human rights law, have been openly ignored by powerful actors in our planet. There is no more opportune proposal right now than this Alliance for Human Rights. Please count on Colombia. You and all the other esteemed colleagues to be an active partner of this vital proposal. Thank you again and best wishes.

Thank you so much. No more important proposal now than this alliance. That was— thank you for that endorsement. I would now like to give the floor to the International Film Festival for Human Rights.

Thank you very much. The FIFDH Human Rights Film Festival and Forum on Human Rights is the human rights film festival in Geneva and one of the leading film festivals around the world focusing on human rights. Every year bringing together filmmakers, activists, policymakers in March in the very heart of Geneva around the power of cinema and cinematic storytelling. I would like to take advantage of this occasion to stress the importance of culture and the arts for raising awareness and sparking dialogue on human rights, especially outside the silos of those already converted. And we know how much one of— this is one of the biggest challenges when it comes to human rights and also reaching younger audiences, as it has been mentioned before as a very important target of human rights dialogue. So the FIFDH welcomes very much this initiative, and we will be happy to support it within our capacities.

Thank you very much. Thank you so much. It's great to have the support of your film festival for human rights. It is— it's such an important initiative for culture and human rights. I'd now like to I give the floor to the distinguished Ambassador of Canada.

Thank you very much. Thank you, First High Commissioner, for your leadership and your persistence on bringing this, this to life. Welcome also to the new Deputy High Commissioner. We absolutely support the vision and framework set out here and particularly appreciate the multi-stakeholder nature of the initiative. It's absolutely the moment for such an initiative, and others have well articulated, so I will not rehearse, rehearse the main reasons for it. But it's also a moment that does not demand more statements or more declarations. And so we really appreciate the focus, the ambitious focus, but also one that is measurable and concrete.

And to that end, we look forward to participating in the Alliance, to developing a statement of commitment and pledging concrete actions.

Thank you. Thanks for the support. Thank you, Ambassador. I'd now like to give the floor to the ACT Alliance representative. Do we have the representative from the ACT Alliance? If so, please— okay, they must have left. So we will now ask the Geneva Human Rights Hub representative to take the floor.

Thank you very much. Hi, Commissioner Turk, Mayor Ketsas, Excellencies.

Thank you for the excellent presentations, and congratulations to you, High Commissioner, and the Global Alliance team and everyone involved. We warmly endorse the launch of of the Global Alliance and see it as a timely and necessary strategic initiative for the human rights ecosystem.

I would like to share one reflection on the Human Rights for the Future catalytic initiative.

As rapporteurs for the first RightsX Summit last December, one point that clearly emerged is that the human rights system needs stronger digital infrastructure and innovation capacity to become truly future-ready.

This was confirmed again at an informal meeting we hosted just last weeks, last week for the treaty body chairpersons on Mount Rigi.

This is actually also why we believe that the RightsEx should be as strongly supported as one of the Alliance catalytic strands. It can become a real solutions engine helping address the scaling crisis, connect actors faster, and move from fragmented initiatives to practical collaboration, and ultimately improve response times. Thank you.

Thank you very much also for reminding us of this existing platform that will be integrated. Thank you very much for your support. I'd now like to ask the distinguished representative of China to take the floor.

Thank you. Hi, Commissioner, and dear colleagues. China would like to echo the voice to support the launch of the Global Alliance for human rights. China believes in action. Although we think that rhetoric is very important, but action is more important in terms of promoting human rights for individual persons. So here I would like to share— it might be a coexistence that today, because of the difference of time, several hours earlier in Beijing, We have just launched the Fifth National Program of Action for Human Rights from 2026 to 2030. This is the Fifth National Program for Action, and among all the— it's a long document and very important document— among all the rights and chapters. There is one chapter dedicated to the work with the UN and the High Commissioner's Office. And I would also like to refer to what has been said by IOE, and there is a specific chapter dedicated to business and human rights. And that said, With due respect to the Greek Ambassador and without any instruction, we would like to co-sponsor the Dialogue for Philosophers. Thank you.

I thank the representative from China also for calling our attention to your national program of action for human rights. And I would now like to ask our final speaker from the Council of Europe I would like to ask the representative to take the floor.

Thank you very much. Honorable High Commissioner, dear colleagues, on behalf of the Council of Europe, I would like to join those who congratulate you on the launch of the Alliance, which the Council of Europe has already declared to participate in. We cannot imagine the success of the Global Alliance for Human Rights without the full engagement expertise, knowledge, and commitment of the regional organizations that for many years have fought for the protection of human rights, materializing the notion of delivering. We are— we have the— we come— we join the Alliance with the full conviction that the inclusive, timely, multi-stakeholders project can bring only a positive change. Education should be the centerpiece of the— central part of our work, of our collective efforts. The Council of Europe has been very active in this respect. We are very happy to hear the voice, the strong voice of the youth, and we have also been a driving force of the World Programme for Human Rights Education. So we stand ready to contribute, to commit to many dimensions of the Alliance oriented at vision, dialogue, and most of all, Action. Thank you.

Thanks to the representative from the Council of Europe for committing your support and also for mentioning the central role of education and regional organizations. Before we conclude, again, a reminder, and I think we've heard it from everyone in all different angles, human rights belong to everyone and can be advanced by everyone. In a few hours, millions of people, as we heard from the Mexican Ambassador, around the world will be watching one of the great sporting events of the year. Sport has a unique power to bring people together across borders, cultures, and generations. So we'd like to invite you, before leaving— before enjoying the reception and the cake, 2 minutes to watch a very inspiring short video featuring athletes and sporting leaders, including the captain of Senegal's national football team, sharing why human rights matter to them and how the sports sector can mobilize.

Rising authoritarianism.

Authoritarianism, large-scale conflict, and the global retreat from multilateralism all have direct links to the world of sports.

Powerful actors increasingly use sports to divide, distract, and consolidate power. Now more than ever, we need a global alliance to ensure human rights remains our collective compass.

Together, we can make sports a true force for dignity Equality and inclusion.

Count me in. At Show Racism the Red Card, we've always understood the value of team, the power of teamwork. And so it's an honor for us to join in the Global Alliance for Human Rights and continuing to craft that world that's free of racism, a world where everyone is truly equal and have rights to match, a world where everyone gets to live to live as themselves fully. We're in. We're committed to this. You can join us in the Global Alliance for Human Rights. It's our world to shape. We know what equality looks like.

Today we need the Global Alliance for Human Rights because too many people are still being left behind, especially persons with disabilities and young people. I know what it means to face barriers, and I know that opportunity, inclusion, and sports can transform lives.

I imagine a future where everyone has a place, for every young person is seen, heard, and valued. At the George Pean Association, we act every day to make this real.

I mean, Count me in and join us in a global alliance for human rights.

Hoje, mais do que nunca, precisamos de uma aliança global pelos direitos humanos. Eu imagino um futuro onde comunidades costeiras, povos tradicionais e mulheres negras estejam realmente no centro das decisões. Eu já estou dentro. Junte-se a nós na Aliança Global pelos Direitos Humanos.

We imagine a world where sport brings out the best in humanity. So we support the Global Alliance to make sport a place where everyone is safe, included, and respected.

Hello everyone, it's Khalidou Koulibaly. I'm joining Global Alliance for Women's Rights because I think that sport should bring people together and never divide them. In Makaya, I faced situations where respect and equality was not there.

And for me, that should never be accepted.

Never. I imagine world sport free from racism, on and off the pitch. I want to use my voice to help make that happen. So I'm proud to be part of the Alliance. Join us.

So I think so many people here in this room also declared, "I'm in." Thank you so much for your participation, and particularly thank you to the mayor of Geneva. Thank you to our inspiring panelists and everyone who joined us online. We had a really great participation of people tuning in from all over the the world. I just want to give the floor briefly back to the High Commissioner to conclude.

Well, really great. This is a wonderful beginning of a global alliance, of a movement, as we were reminded, but also as something that is action-oriented. You will, when— and this is unfortunately not possible for those who are watching us online— we will actually showcase the 8 initiatives that are more advanced. We hope that we will have 800 initiatives in the next 2.5 years, not necessarily all run by us, obviously not, but they are part of an umbrella that allows to give billions of voices that we have just heard from the sports world to actually make sure that, you know, we show the world that indeed human rights are at the center of it and people all around the world care for it. So really big, big thanks to all of you and We will continue. Thank you.