Dignity, consensus, and inclusiveness are the three core keywords of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). The idea of building a community with a shared future for mankind proposed by China has been included in more than 10 resolutions of the United Nations Human Rights Council; The Global Development Initiative, Global Security Initiative, and Global Civilization Initiative systematically elaborate on the human rights development concept of promoting human rights through development, safeguarding human rights through security, and advancing human rights through cooperation, which is in accord with the spirit of the Declaration and provides effective solutions for the global human rights governance.

An international symposium commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was held in Beijing, China on Dec. 5, 2023. The following are the views of the attendees.

Significance of the UDHR

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, born from the inclusiveness and coexistence of cultures and civilizations, is certainly a landmark event in the history of human civilization. Although historic achievements have been made in the development of human rights worldwide over the past 75 years, the goal of ensuring that everyone enjoys human rights and fundamental freedom is far from being achieved. By advocating inclusiveness, exchange and mutual learning of civilizations, China is able to provide guidance for global human rights governance and the development of world human rights cause.

——By Lu Guangjin, vice president of the China Society for Human Rights Studies, professor of the Law School at Jilin University

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights represents the common aspirations and goals of all humanity, and has tremendous vitality, widespread influence and strong appeal.

——By Liu Huawen, executive director of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences' Center for Human Rights Studies

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is one of the most crucial international documents aimed at protecting equal rights, justice, and human dignity ever passed by the United Nations General Assembly.

——By Hisham bin Abdulrahman Al-Sheikh, vice chairman of the human rights commission of Saudi Arabia

Enriching the diversity of world's human rights

The paths of human rights development chosen by all countries should be encouraged and respected, and all sides should ensure that people of all countries enjoy human rights fairly through modernization with their respective characteristics.

In China, the people's right to subsistence and development is more effectively guaranteed, the right of the people to be the masters of the country has been more fully reflected, and the rights of all ethnic people and all groups have been more comprehensively fulfilled.

——By Wang Yi, Chinese Foreign Minister

China's development in human rights is more pragmatic. We have provided better conditions for the realization of dignity and values by creating a stable and peaceful development environment. For example, by alleviating poverty, we enable the vast population to enjoy the rights to survival, development and other human rights.

——By Chang Jian, director of the Human Rights Research Center at Nankai University

China's modern human rights practices have effectively implemented the principles and spirit of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and innovatively promoted its institutional system, ensuring the Chinese people wide, specific and effective human rights and providing China's wisdom for the world's human rights development.

——By Qi Yanping, professor of School of Law at Beijing Institute of Technology

Ensuring that China's more than 1.4 billion people fully enjoy human rights and basic freedoms has also fully demonstrated the people's nature of human rights in China, deepened and expanded the basic principles of extensiveness, equality, and non-discrimination for people entitled to human rights established in the declaration and other international human rights documents, and promoted the innovative development of the theory of the people as the beneficiary of human rights.

——By Li Lin, member of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences

I see in recent years China has very good human rights achievements. The first is in China, every human being has food to eat, every human being has clothes to wear, and every human being has a place to sleep. In China, that is a big, big achievement. Then, I think China is very fast in education. China educates more population than other countries. Education is not just sitting at schools to read and write, but most people are very literate.

——By Anani Okuminyi Demuyakor, president of the Ghana-China Friendship Association, former Ghanaian ambassador to China

World consensus on the cause of human rights

The three initiatives in advancing human rights, namely the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative, have not only broken new ground in human rights philosophy, but also expressed the common aspiration of people all around the world.

——By Zhang Wenxian, chairman of the Academic Committee of the China Law Society

China proposing the Global Security Initiative, the Global Development Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative stands as a constructive solution to address human rights deficits and enhance global human rights governance.

——By Fu Zitang, vice president of the China Society for Human Rights Studies, head of Human Rights Institute at Southwest University of Political Science and Law

Over the past 75 years, China has consistently been a contributor, advocate and practitioner of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Today, revisiting the spirit of the declaration is about clarifying the coordinates and direction of global human rights governance, better fostering world peace, and promoting shared development.

——By Padma Choling, president of the China Society for Human Rights Studies

The vision of building a community with a shared future for humanity advocates a balance between individual rights, collective rights and the rights of all humanity, and upholds that human rights should be equally enjoyed by people around the world through exchange and mutual learning. This type of cooperative human rights governance is more capable of withstanding challenges and facilitating the development of global human rights.

——By Chang Jian, director of the Human Rights Research Center at Nankai University

China's human rights philosophy and its practice can provide good reference for others. The establishment of a more fair and just human rights governance platform is needed for the sound development of the global human rights cause.

——By Syldie Manirerekana, assistant to Burundi's minister of foreign affairs and development cooperation

Facing the challenge of the global human rights governance, we are committed to work with all partners in exploring correct solutions to ensure the council to remain faithful to multilateral and even handle the approach to human rights.

——By Alvin Botes, Vice Foreign Minister of South Africa

Compiled by DeepChina.

The views of these comments don't necessarily reflect those of DeepChina.