NNA - On the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Middle East Council of Churches, in partnership with the Regional Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), organized an intellectual seminar entitled "Dignity, Freedom and Justice". It was held as part of the MECC work to spread and defend the human rights’ principles, on Wednesday 11 January 2023, at the headquarters of the MECC General Secretariat in Beirut.

Attendees were the UN Deputy Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Lebanon, Mr. Imran Riza, Professor Michel Abs, MECC Secretary General, Lebanese Deputy Dr. Michel Moussa, Dr. Habib Charles Malik, Lawyer Dr. Antoine Sfeir, Professor Antoine Messarra, alongside intellectuals, jurists, researchers and activists working for human rights and humanitarian social issues...

The seminar included many sessions, which started at 10 am and ended at 4h30 pm, with speakers in the fields of law and human rights, with the participation of specialists and jurists in the offices of the General Secretariat, or online via Zoom. The seminar was presented by the Director of the MECC Communication and Public Relations Department Journalist Huguette Salameh, and broadcasted live on Télé Lumière and Noursat and the MECC Facebook page.

The seminar began with a speech delivered by the Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs who highlighted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and its foundations. He said “we find that the largest percentage of humanity considers the rules listed in the Declaration as axioms that must be secured and set up laws of dealing between people… Hence therefore the necessity of immunization, immunizing minds and souls by consolidating values that secure a better future for humanity… and the need to promote the culture of sound human rights at the level of humanity…”

He continued “We have trained our working teams, in the various afflicted areas that lie to the East of Antioch, to deal with the homeless, the afflicted, and the destitute, with the dignity of love that the Incarnate Master has re commended for us to stress… The Council has dealt extensively with human rights during the eighties and nineties, and has a long history in this field, but today, our focus is on the concept of human dignity.”

He ended “we need a culture of human rights in order to make sure that humanity has left the jungle towards society never to return, and in order to prevent the spread of social Darwinism, where the strong kill the weak, so that every human being gets his rights, and his dignity is the crown of these rights.”

Then the UN Deputy Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Lebanon, Mr. Imran Riza, delivered a speech in which he highlighted the celebration of the 75th anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. He also indicated that this Declaration was able to enact rights which protect the human being and preserve her/ his dignity with equality. 

He added that Lebanon is a founding member of the United Nations and a major contributor to this declaration. In this context, he stressed the importance of the various mechanisms which represent the state's obligations aiming at protecting and promoting human rights cited in international treaties and legislation.

Afterwards, the first session started, under the title "Introduction to International Human Rights Law - Concepts and Terminology". Lawyer Dr. Antoine Sfeir, a Professor of international law, spoke about the importance of human rights its risks, in addition to legally binding documents and international protection of human rights, stressing that MECC has a message, especially in working for justice, and its real revolution is the revolution of truth for the sake of man.

Dr. Moatasem Billah Adham, a Professor of civil law and human rights, also highlighted the characteristics of human rights, and mentioned the Christian and Islamic views in this context, as well as the Universal Declarations of Human Rights.

After the morning break, the second session focused on "the development of the human rights system since the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was issued in 1948". During the session Professor Alaa Kaoud, Deputy Regional Commissioner of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, shed lights on the role of the Commission and the international mechanisms reflecting its work, noting that there are many measures that cover a wide range of rights.

From his end, Dr. Habib Charles Malik, a Professor of history and cultural studies, presented his father, Professor Charles Malik's thought in the field of human rights, in addition to his approach, view, and contribution to the formulation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights’ content.

After the lunch break, the third session began under the title "Lebanon's Obligations Amidst International Human Rights Law", in which Dr. Michel Moussa, Deputy at the Lebanese Parliament and head of the Parliament's Human Rights Committee, spoke about the efforts made in Lebanon to draft legislation related to human rights, highlighting the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and an historically overview about of the principles of these rights in Lebanese law, as well as the national plan which was prepared within this framework.

Professor Antoine Messarra, President of the UNESCO Chair in Comparative Religious Studies, Mediation and Dialogue (CHUR) at Saint Joseph university (USJ) in Beirut, underlined how human rights are undermined, as well as the obstacles which prevented legislation, and Lebanon's obligations amidst international law.

In the last session, future prospects were discussed in addition to how MECC and its partners can participate in the campaign launched by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on 10 December 2022. It is a year-long campaign under the theme “Dignity, Freedom, and Justice for All”, calling on to “Stand up for Human Rights and Defend it”. This session was moderated by Dr. Laure Abi Khalil, Professor of Public Policy and Strategies, and Lawyer Rafik Zakharia, a Specialist in the United Nations human rights system and civil activist on the issue of the death penalty.

At the end, the seminar issued a set of joint recommendations between the Middle East Council of Churches and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, revolving around the issue of freedom, achieving justice, preserving dignity and human rights. The recommendations will be raised to the concerned regional and international parties and agencies.

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