Islamabad, 10 December 2018: Students at the COMSATS University in Islamabad observed the Human Rights Day with thematic messages of peace, tolerance, harmony, co-existence and respect for human rights.

The United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in his video message highlighted that human rights are universal and eternal and called on all the people to stand up for human rights — for everyone, everywhere.

Event was organized within a 4-day International Students Convention and Expo 2018 by the COMSATS University in cooperation with Inter University Consortium of more than 50 partner organizations including the United Nations Information Centre in Islamabad.

Rector of the COMSATS University professor Raheel Qamar and Mr. Vlastimil Samek, Director a.i. of the United Nations Information Centre in Islamabad shared with the participants their views about the importance of the human rights-based approach, peaceful coexistence, mutual respect and access to information.

Speakers – young students from Pakistan and Afghanistan as well as from other parts of the world highlighted the importance of peaceful solution of the conflict in Afghanistan, challenges that people living with disabilities are being exposed to every day, need for peace for sustainable development, especially in the parts of the world affected by armed conflicts, etc.

Thematic multilingual documentaries that included messages in languages spoken of Pakistan explained the concept, importance and principles of human rights and Universal Declaration of Human Rights were also presented during the event.