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UNITED NATIONS, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Saturday that "upholding human rights is in the interest of all," and "respect for human rights advances well-being for every individual, stability for every society, and harmony for our interconnected world."
In his message to mark Human Rights Day, which falls on Dec. 10, Ban said, "And this work can be done by all, at every level of society."
"States have the primary responsibility for upholding human rights," Ban said. "The United Nations, along with partners around the globe, must continue to strengthen responses to abuses, and work better to prevent human rights crises."
"At a time of multiplying conflicts, intensifying humanitarian needs and rising hate speech, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights reminds us that recognition of 'the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world'," he said.
"Step by step, we can build a future based on our shared values of equality and human dignity," Ban added.
Human Rights Day is observed every year on Dec. 10. It commemorates the day on which, in 1948, the UN General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
In 1950, the General Assembly passed a resolution, inviting all states and interested organizations to observe Dec. 10 of each year as Human Rights Day.
