Today, Human Rights Day is being celebrated round the world.
In the 70 years that have passed since the UN General Assembly’s adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, significant progress has been made in the respect and defence of the inalienable rights of all people, regardless of race, colour, faith, gender, social position, age or sexual orientation. According to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, respect for human dignity and the rights of the individual is the foundation of freedom, justice and world peace.
But this Day is not just a watershed in the history of human rights. It should also be an occasion for all of us to contemplate that the values and ideals it represents – foremost among which is the right to life, without which the others become irrelevant – require our constant vigilance.
Defence of human rights and democratic freedoms is a priority of Greek foreign policy. In this spirit, the Hellenic Ministry of Foreign Affairs renews its commitment to pursue the national interest with a view to protecting human rights and consolidating the values of Democracy and the Rule of Law.
December 10, 2017