Ambassador Le Thi Tuyet Mai, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the United Nations (UN), the World Trade Organization and other international organisations in Geneva, attended the opening ceremony of the 51st session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland on September 12 (local time).

Mai congratulated Volker Türk for his appointment as High Commissioner for Human Rights, and affirmed Vietnam’s support for and cooperation with the High Commissioner and his Office, reported from VNA.

Ambassador Le Thi Tuyet Mai, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the United Nations (UN), the World Trade Organisation and other international organisations in Geneva (Photo: VNA).

She expressed the office’s concerns over three major global challenges which have huge impacts on the enjoyment of human rights, namely climate change, environmental pollution, and biodiversity degradation. She called on the international community to act more urgently to respond to these challenges.

The United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council Day is currently in its 51st regular session, the first since the new High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk took office, and will run until October 7 (Photo: The New York Times).

The Vietnamese representative emphasized that the UN Human Rights Council and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights should respect the diverse historical and socio-cultural conditions of countries, promote constructive dialogue and cooperation to protect and promote human rights in accordance with fundamental human rights principles, including universality, objectivity, impartiality and non-selectivity.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Acting High Commissioner for Human Rights Nada Al Nashif delivered the Office’s report on the world’s human rights situation.

She called on countries to intensify coordination at multilateral forums, enhance political commitments to implementing international human rights standards, and uphold the role of international conventions and mechanisms, while asserting the council’s central role in enhancing international solidarity for peace, stability, justice and comprehensive and effective protection and promotion of human rights.

Vietnam confident to shoulder international responsibilities

Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to UN attended the UN General Assembly’s high-level forum (UNGA) on culture of peace on September 6 (US time).

Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the United Nations (UN) (Photo: baoquocte.vn).

He also stressed the importance of the culture of peace and non-violence in the world, adding that Vietnamese people have a long hisotry of building the foundation for peace, through promoting friendship, harmony and mutual understanding among nations.

Vietnam always promotes the settlement of conflicts and disputes by peaceful means, without the threat or use of force, and by complying and implementing international law, said Giang.

The diplomat emphasized the need for the international community to support efforts to build and maintain peace, while respecting the responsibility, independence and mastery of countries in accordance with the UN Chapter and international law.

President of the UNGA Abdullah Shahid said that the COVID-19 pandemic and long-lasting conflicts in many areas of the world have worsened discrimination and intolerance, and complicated instability and poverty.

Abdullah Shahid and speakers at the forum stated the importance of efforts to promote the building and maintenance of lasting peace, address the root causes of conflicts, and promote the building of harmonious and inclusive societies, in which no one is left behind.

Many of them recognized the role and contributions of the UN Peacebuilding Commission, calling for increased assurance of resources for efforts to build and maintain peace.

A culture of peace is given a very comprehensive definition in the Declaration and Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace, which was adopted by the General Assembly, in September 1999. It is defined as “a set of values, attitudes, modes of behaviour and ways of life that reject violence and prevent conflicts by tackling their root causes to solve problems through dialogue and negotiation among individuals, groups and nations”.

It is willingness and high sense of responsibility when working for the international community that helped Vietnam earn seats at important multilateral organizations such as the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the Postal Operations Council (POC) of the Universal Postal Union, and the International Law Commission, said United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix to the Vietnamese delegation attended the third UN Chiefs of Police Summit in New York earlier this month.

Vietnamese officers for peacekeeping mission (Photo: VNA).

Vietnam has shown its strong commitments to striving to build trust and dialogues, serving as a bridge seeking peaceful solutions to conflicts worldwide, said United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres, adding that its fulfillment of tenure as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for 2020-2021 is a solid evidence. He has described Vietnam as an important factor contributing to peace and stability in the region, which showed the country’s increasingly high international role and position.

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