Brussels’ famous Manneken-Pis statue has been dressed in the colours of the United Nations on Saturday in celebration of the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
The costume is a miniaturised version of the uniform that shields UN representatives operating in conflict zones.
“These rights might seem evident to us today, but that’s not the case everywhere in the world – therefore, it’s essential to emphasise the significance of this charter,” stressed Brussels City Council member, Geoffrey Coomans de Brachène, during the dressing ceremony.
“The text, groundbreaking at the time, has proven to be a true symbolic compass, directing states towards progress and social justice,” stated the regional representative of the UN Commissioner for Human Rights, Elena Kountouri Tapiero, also present at the ceremony, adding that “respecting fundamental rights and human dignity is a continuous struggle”.
Sunday marks 75 years since the Universal Declaration was enacted. On 10 December 1948, the still nascent UN General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
By endorsing this text, the UN not only recognised civil and political rights, but also economic and social – fundamental rights “which should also enjoy universal protection” and apply to all human beings.
It made the promise to rebuild a better world after the horrors of the Second World War, the Holocaust, the atomic bombs dropped on Japan and the ensuing world economic crisis.
