The NHRC celebrates International Human Rights Day at Hamad International Airport
Maryam Al-Attiyah:
– We must bet on young people to promote human rights in societies
– Human rights are a culture that must be rooted in society before being embodied in legislation and laws
– There is an urgent need to establish Arab mechanisms for strengthening the role of youth
– Surveys are required to provide an integrated database to spread awareness of the importance of youth participation in the promotion of human rights
– The participation of youth in all aspects of public life is an inherent right enshrined in international conventions and endorsed by regional and national conventions
– There is an urgent need to put more emphasis on the promotion of youth participation, renouncing guardianship over them and diminishing their capabilities
– The need for young people to enhance their capabilities to support their active participation must be taken into consideration
– The Arabic calligraphy on ‘Human Rights in Islamic Culture’ is a window to introduce the place of human rights in our true religion
Doha, December 10, 2019
Dr. Mohammed Bin Saif Al Kuwari, deputy chairman of the NHRC, opened on Tuesday on the occasion of the International Human Rights Day, which falls on December 10 each year a new version of the exhibition of Arabic Calligraphy on ‘Human Rights in Islamic Culture’ at Hamad International Airport; in the presence of Ms. Maryam bint Abdullah Al-Attiyah, Secretary General of the National Human Rights Committee, Mr. Sultan Al Jamali, assistant secretary- general of the NHRC, a number of representatives from Hamad International Airport and a number of Ambassadors to the State, along with cadres in the National Human Rights Committee, prominent national and international figures, and a large audience of travelers through Hamad International Airport.
The celebration of the human rights day this year comes under the generic call “Standing Up for Human rights” which is in an initiative by the United Nations to highlight the crucial role of youth in the collective and peaceful movements as a source of inspiration for a better future, and empower youth and youth organizations to act as a catalyst for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and to create a better world by promoting human rights, peace and equality. The UN’s call to action this year was to celebrate the potential of young people as constructive agents of change, communicate their voices, engage a wide range of global audiences in the promotion and protection of rights, and encourage, galvanize, and showcase how youth all over the world stand up for rights and against racism, hate speech, bullying, discrimination, and climate change, to name a few.
On the occasion of the International Human Rights Day, the National Human Rights Committee organized a “new version of the exhibition of Arabic calligraphy in Islam” at Hamad International Airport, which will last for 20 days, allowing thousands of visitors to Qatar and passengers crossing through Hamad International Airport to see dozens of paintings that reflect the place of human rights in the Islamic religion.
The audience visiting the pavilions of Arabic Calligraphy Exhibition in Islam was briefed on the exhibition which include creative paintings of Arabic calligraphy including Quran verses and sayings of prophet Muhammed that have a direct relationship with the international conventions on human rights with their translation into the languages of the world, especially English, French and Spanish in the framework of keenness to introduce the principles of the religion of Islam through art, and support the efforts of dialogue between religions, civilizations and cultures.
In a statement, Ms. Mariam bint Abdullah Al-Attiyah, Secretary General of the National Human Rights Committee, said that “the celebration of the International Day is an important occasion to recognize the achievements made by the State of Qatar in the field of protection and promotion of human rights, and to emphasize the keenness of the National Human Rights Committee to continue to urge the State of Qatar to continue the deep reforms it is undertaking to promote and protect human rights. ”
Regarding the importance of the call of action set by the United Nations to celebrate this year’s Human Rights Day, Al Attiyah said: the generic call to action “Stand Up for Human rights” carries a very important message, calling on all countries of the world to pay due attention to the youth, and bet on them to promote a culture of human rights in all societies, before being embodied in legislation and laws.
Al Attiyah pointed out that the National Human Rights Committee attaches great importance to the youth and their role in defending human rights and international legislation. “The participation of young people in all aspects of public life is an inherent right enshrined in international conventions and endorsed by regional and national conventions. all economic and social groups should be fairly represented where capacities of young people should be promoted to support their active participation. The National Human Rights Committee has noted in several occasions that there is an urgent need to establish Arab mechanisms to promote the role of youth where special surveys can be conducted, documenting the experiences of States, providing an integrated database that can be used to formulate their policies and enhance their efforts in spreading awareness aimed at encouraging their participation,” said Al-Attiyah
The exhibition on “Arabic Calligraphy in Islam” is a window to introduce the place of human rights in our true Islamic religion
As for the importance of organizing a new version of the Arabic Calligraphy Exhibition in Islam, in conjunction with the celebration of the International Day for Human Rights, the Secretary-General of the National Human Rights Committee said: “The National Human Rights Committee is always keen on educating and raising awareness of the place our Islamic religion has attached to human rights and the need to respect it “.
Al-Attiyah added, “The the Arabic calligraphy exhibition has turned into a cross-border platform to introduce human rights in Islamic culture, over the past years, and a window to raise awareness of Islam’s role in spreading the culture of peace and tolerance, and the dialogue between religions and civilizations that Qatar has repeatedly advocated in international forums, to combat the culture of incitement and violence that contributed to the spread of extremist ideas, as well as hate speech and attempts to attach terrorism to the Islamic religion. The exhibition also provides a true picture to Western societies of the place Islam has attached to human rights.
Al-Attiyah noted that the new version of the Arabic Calligraphy Exhibition in Islam is considered a new landmark in a long path for this exhibition, which has been previously organized in many world capitals, and attracted a large audience in several cities and capitals, including New York (at the United Nations headquarters), Geneva, Paris, Brussels, Berlin, Greece, Kuwait and Tunisia, as well as Hamad Bin Khalifa University in Qatar, Katara Cultural Village, Fire Station Artist in Residence, and other areas.
The exhibition of human rights in the culture of Islam in the eyes of the ambassadors:
In press statements on the sidelines of the opening of the exhibition “Human Rights in Islamic Culture”, His Excellency Ambassador Omar Al-Barzanji, Iraq’s ambassador to the State of Qatar, stated: “As you know, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was ratified in December 10, 1948. I highly appreciate the organization of this exhibition in this international occasion in the State of Qatar.”
He added: “I gave lectures on human rights to more than 400 diplomats at the Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but it have never experienced that awareness can be raised through artistic paintings. I also thank the artist so much for his creativity, he was my student, and today I saw his creativity in artistic paintings.”
In turn, His Excellency Dr. Mustafa Boutoura, the Algerian Ambassador to the State of Qatar stated: “Choosing the idea of organizing a human rights exhibition in Islamic culture is a wonderful innovation. I suggest that this exhibition be organized in various International capitals, because it is important to talk about human rights from the perspective of Islam, the Holy Qur’an and the noble Prophet’s Sunnah, through wonderful artistic paintings. we desperately need to make the place of human rights in our true religion clear to the world”.
For his part, His Excellency Nizar Al-Heraki, the Syrian ambassador to the State of Qatar, said: “On the International Day for Human Rights, which expresses the aspirations of peoples to realize their rights and stop the violations taking place in the world, foremost of which is my country, Syria, in which the most basic human rights are violated in modern history. This exhibition expresses the human heritage found in the Islamic religion, which is the first human rights bill in the history of mankind. the existing paintings express the importance that Islam attaches to human rights, through the Quranic verses contained in these artistic paintings.
He added: “We highly appreciate the National Human Rights Committee’s invitation to attend the opening of this exhibition. The NHRC is always keen on human rights, and always keen to participate and contribute to organizing human rights related activities not only in Qatar, but also In the whole world.”
For his part, His Excellency Mr. Seichi Otsuka, Ambassador of Japan to the State of Qatar, said: “As you know, we attach great importance to human rights in Japan, and this exhibition is very important. It is wonderful that these paintings are displayed at Hamad Airport, which allows thousands of travelers coming to Qatar, or passing through Doha to visit.”
His Excellency Mr. Omelio Cabeiro Rodriguez, Ambassador of the Republic of Cuba to the State of Qatar, stated: “It is a wonderful initiative by the National Human Rights Committee to celebrate International Human Rights Day. This creative exhibition has a sophisticated artistic touch, drawing on Arab and Islamic art. It is extremely important to organize An exhibition addressing the place of human rights in the Islamic religion, in light of the exploitation of human rights issue for political purposes.