December 10th Shines Blue for Human Rights Day

December 10th shines blue for International Human Rights Day. The observance is held annually across the globe to mark the day in 1948 that the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

This year’s theme is “Youth Standing Up for Human Rights” — chosen by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. To commemorate the 72nd Anniversary, the United Nations is organizing events and activities throughout the year to be held around the world including in Paris, New York, Antananarivo, Canberra, Dakar, Islamabad, Jakarta, Lima, Lusaka, Mexico, Moscow, Ouagadougou, Panama, Port of Spain, Pretoria, Tehran and Yerevan.

 “…it’s particularly fitting that this year we mark Human Rights Day during the crucial UN conference in Madrid to uphold climate justice. We owe a debt of gratitude to all those millions of children, teenagers and young adults who have been standing up and speaking out more and more loudly about the crisis facing our planet.” – Michelle Bachelet, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights

Seventeen landmarks across the globe will shine bright blue on December 10th to celebrate Human Rights Day. From New York to Sydney, Munich to Toronto, the world will light up in solidarity with the fundamental principles of human dignity that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights affirms and that Human Rights Watch works to defend each day.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights empowers us all. We need to stand up for our own rights and those of others. We can take action in our own daily lives to uphold the rights that protect us all — equality, justice and dignity — and promote the kinship of all human beings.

Playing For Change, a partnership between the organization and the United Nations Millennium Development Goals Achievement Fund, is an initiative to connect the world through music. They use music to raise awareness of social and economic inequality issues based on race, religion, ethnicity and gender.

For International Human Rights Day 2019, The United Nations is releasing the latest installment of Playing For Change called “A Better Place.”  The music video unites 29 lesser known musicians from across the globe, performing the same song in their native country.

The 46 performers in the music video appear in Colombia, Ireland, Japan, Cuba, Thailand, Senegal and Egypt, among several other countries. It is the hope of the U.N. that the music video will ignite social discussion of global inequalities around the hashtag #ABetterPlace

So, when you see the landmarks across the globe shining a blue light on December 10th — Stand Up For Human Rights. And, when you hear the music video “A Better Place,” add your voice and be Socially Sparked®! Take in the spirit of the season; make a difference, support those less fortunate and enjoy the holidays. — Abbe is Socially Sparked®! Tweet @sosparkednews & @asparks01