ISLAMABAD: Human Rights Day was observed with the launch of the ‘Human Rights Film Tour’ and the closing ceremony of the ‘Human Rights through Cinematography’ film festival on Sunday at Lok Virsa. The closing event was co-organised by European Union, the United Nations and the Embassy of Switzerland. At this occasion the International Film Festival and Forum on Human Rights in Geneva (FIFDH), the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) and the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) joined forces to launch an international tour “Human Rights Film Tour” spread over 45 countries including Zimbabwe, China, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Nigeria, Brazil, Cuba and Guatemala to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Swiss embassies all over the world will screen ‘crime hunters’ by organizing events based on the FIFDH’s ‘one film, one topic, one debate’ format followed by debates with local NGOs, journalists, students and activists. Cosmopolitanism, another documentary was also showcased at the ceremony which marked the conclusion of the “Human Rights through Cinematography” film festival. Running from November 23 to December 10, this film festival travelled to different cities including Gujrat, Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Multan, Peshawar, Quetta and Rawalpindi. The screenings were held in embassies, UN Information Centre, Goethe-Institut, universities and Pakistan National Council of Arts, as in previous editions, with the support of the European Union. A highlight of the film festival was the participation of young students of universities at all venues especially in many universities across the country. The human rights through cinematography film festival presented 25 documentaries on human right violations across the world. The screenings on the Human Rights Day were followed by panel discussion on “Defending Human Rights in troubled times: Dignity and Adversity”. Jan Figel Special Envoy of the European Union, Rabiya Javeri Agha, Federal Secretary Ministry of Human Rights, Isabelle Gattiker Director of the International Film Festival and Forum on Human Rights, Juan Lozano Director Crime Hunters, Sara Belal Founder of Justice Project Pakistan, and Christine Chung Human Rights Officer at the Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights participated in the panel discussion. On the same day, United Nations in Pakistan launched the Urdu and Pashto versions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and UN Charter and Statute of the International Court of Justice in Urdu language. Jean-Francois Cautain, Ambassador of the European Union to Pakistan on the occasion said: “Human Rights are violated all around the world. They cannot never been taken for granted. They need to be cherished and defended. The Human Rights Film Festival, especially with the screenings in universities, is an excellent tool to raise awareness about the different facets of Human Rights and to engage students in constructive debates”. Isabelle Gattiker, Director FIFDH said:“The International Film Festival and forum on Human Rights in Geneva is extremely proud to collaborate with the Human Rights trough cinematography film festival in Pakistan, and we hope to continue this work together, sharing visions, stories and films that unite us for the defense of peace and human rights. Congratulations to the whole festival team, they have done a tremendous work”. Thomas Kolly, Ambassador of the Switzerland said: “The Universal Declaration of Human Rights has set forth a common standard of achievement for all people and all nations and is as relevant as was in 1948. Swiss political model and the core values embedded in its historical tradition and legal orders defend and promote the universality, the interdependence and indivisibility of human rights”. Neil Buhne, Resident Coordinator UN and Acting Director UNIC said: “As we enter in the 70th year of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, what was inspirational in 1948 is increasingly a reality. The Declaration asks us to stand up for our own rights and those of others.” He hoped that these screenings of films and translated versions of the UDHR and UN Charter in local languages will help Pakistani people, particularly youth to deepen their understanding of their rights. The film festival was organized in partnership with embassies and High Commissions of Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, the European Union, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland and with the International Film Festival and Forum of Human Rights, the Goethe-Institute, the Pakistan National Council of Arts and the United Nations Information Centre in Islamabad. Published in Daily Times, December 11th 2017.