Human Rights and Culture

This week MHREC is holding its Culture Connect event! Between the 23rd and 30th June 2023 friends, family and public are being invited to support MHREC by participating in a cultural activity to remind everyone just how important the right to to take part or participate in cultural life truly is. Please do sign up here.

With this in mind, over the next few days we will be sharing information on Human Rights and culture to showcase their importance!

“Culture is who we are, and what shapes our identity”

Jyoti Hosagrahar, an architect, planner and culture specialist said this when communicating on culture and the Sustainable Development Goals. She is Director, Division for Creativity in the Culture Sector at UNESCO, where she oversees the integration of culture in the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda.

Article 27 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) provides that:

1. Everyone has the right freely to participate in the cultural life of the community, to enjoy the arts and to share in scientific advancement and its benefits.Everyone has the right to the protection of the moral and material interests resulting from any scientific, literary or artistic production of which he is the author.

In layman terms this means that everyone has the right to participate and enjoy culture including cultural heritage and expression. It outrightly recognises that cultural expression plays an integral role in fostering social cohesion, shaping identities, and enriching human experiences. Having a human centred and human rights approach to safeguarding culture is for also key for building inclusive, diverse, and respectful societies.

Culture is what defines us in space and time – our past and present roots, our prospects.

Ernesto Ottone R. Assistant Director-General for Culture of UNESCO

Referring to the Dayton Peace Accords (1995) that put an end to the fighting in Bosnia and Herzegovina, there was a section on the protection of cultural heritage in their provisions on respect for human rights. This was one fo the first times that cultural heritage was recognized as a fundamental element in peacebuilding efforts.

This UNDHR article also relies heavily on other rights enshrined in UNDHR, particularly as relates to freedom of thought, option and expression. Culture and the arts provide platforms for individuals to express their thoughts, emotions, and experiences. They provide an outlet to allow everyone and anyone to engage in artistic creation, challenge societal norms, and contribute to social progress.

Many of us can recall when during the COVID19 pandemic we relied heavily on different forms of arts. Culture and arts offer opportunities to people from various backgrounds to come together. Cultural events, festivals, and artistic collaborations are essential because they are a forum that creates spaces where diverse cultures can interact, fostering mutual respect and understanding. Through these exchanges, we can challenge stereotypes, connect and cultivate a sense of belonging in a more inclusive society.

In closing, let us all together embrace the power of culture and arts to shape a better future across the globe.

Here at MHREC we cannot wait to receive your pictures. You can still sign up here. Don’t delay.