10 December 2010

Today is Human Rights Day (10 Dec 2010)

Held annually on the 10 December, Human Rights Day is one of the most important high points in the calendar of the United Nations. The day is traditionally marked by high-level political conferences, meetings, by cultural events and exhibitions dealing with human rights issues. The Nobel Peace Prize, for example, is awarded every year in Oslo, Norway, on 10 December.
This year's Human Rights Day is dedicated to Human Rights defenders who act to end discrimination.



The date (10 Dec) was chosen to honor the United Nations General Assembly's adoption and proclamation, on 10 December 1948, of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), the first global enunciation of human rights. The formal establishment of the Human Rights Day occurred on 04 Dec 1950.

In South Africa, Human Rights Day is celebrated on 21 March, in remembrance of the Sharpeville massacre. The Sharpeville massacre, named after the township of Sharpeville in what is now Gauteng, occurred on 21 March 1960, when South African police opened fire on a crowd of black protesters, killing 69 people.

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