Press Releases

It is with great pleasure that I welcome you today to the Presidential Palace for this annual gathering celebrating the United Nations (UN) and Human Rights.

At the outset, I would like to express my deep appreciation to all the members of the United Nations Association of Cyprus and especially to its President, Dr Christos Theodoulou, for organising today’s event.

As it is customary, this event is held under the auspices of the President of the Republic of Cyprus and is taking place here, at the Presidential Palace, because through this very symbolic action, we further highlight the importance of the United Nations for the Government of the Republic of Cyprus and its people. Today’s gathering serves also as an opportunity for us to reaffirm our pledge and commitment to the United Nations system, to International Law, and to Human Rights.

In one of his most influential works, “The Republic”, Plato argued that communities arise from our inability to be self-sufficient and to effectively deal with the multitude of needs we are facing.

This realisation, that we cannot act alone, has led our predecessors, after two devastating World Wars, to establish in 1945 the United Nations – a structure of collective responsibility to uphold peace, human rights, and the rule of law.

On 24 October 2024, we celebrated the 79^th anniversary of the United Nations Charter. To this day, this founding document continues to guide us in preventing wars, upholding fundamental human rights, protecting the dignity and worth of every individual, ensuring that justice and respect for international law are upheld, and advancing social progress. And yesterday, 10 December, we also commemorated Human Rights Day, marking the 76^th anniversary of the signing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights – a declaration that embodies the commitment of our global community to ensure fundamental rights for all.

The establishment of the United Nations and the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights are not mere aspirations and proclamations. They form a global blueprint, a roadmap for meeting the needs that no nation can address alone. Today, as humanity is facing rising catastrophic and existential risks, this blueprint is more relevant than ever.

We live in an era of profound transformation and we are witnessing challenges of a magnitude unseen since the mid-20th century.

Conflicts across regions, political instability, the very visible and worsening impacts of climate change, and the rapid advancement of technology that can both uplift and undermine human rights are rapidly reshaping our lives. We are now witnessing the highest number of active conflicts since the Cold War, along with record casualties. Each day, the provisions of the UN Charter are disregarded and violated, principles of International Law are neglected, and the rights we cherish are constantly threatened.

In an effort to respond to these challenges, we gathered last September in New York for the 79^th Session of the UN General Assembly and adopted the Pact for the Future. While the path to reach this agreement was challenging, the Pact reaffirms our shared commitment to international law, sustainable development, and the realisation of human rights. It sets out 56 specific actions aimed at advancing the 17 Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, providing us with a renewed mandate for multilateral cooperation.

Now is the time to roll up our sleeves and continue our work, and I assure you that the Republic of Cyprus will have an essential role in this renewed commitment.

9 October 2024 was a historic moment in our country’s recent diplomatic history. On that day, our country was elected, for the first time, as a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council for the period 2025-2027.

This election and the fact that we received votes from 167 out of 189 United Nations member states that participated in the election process was due to the fact that our global counterparts are convinced and reassured of our longstanding commitment to protecting and promoting human rights both domestically and abroad, always within the framework set by the United Nations.

Cyprus’ membership to the Human Rights Council will be one that reflects the values of democracy, justice, and rule of law; values deeply embedded in our society. Our membership will also draw from our experience and unique standing in the global sphere, bringing together three continents, Europe, Africa and Asia, and the plurality of their understandings, aspirations, needs, and wants.

Our term on the Human Rights Council will also be based on our well-established willingness to act as an honest broker and a relentless seeker of synergies and regional cooperation, as means to promote peace, stability, and development. We have proven this role time and again: with our successful actions to provide humanitarian assistance to the people in need in Gaza through the Cyprus Maritime Corridor, our readiness to evacuate European Union and third country nations from areas of conflict, and our overall role of acting as a bridge and interlocutor in promoting understanding and facilitating dialogue and cooperation.

More specifically, as a member of the Human Rights Council, Cyprus will pursue three core priorities.

Our first focus will be the rights of the child. We pledge to collaborate with our international partners to promote equal access to quality education, address the needs of children with disabilities, and support children from migrant backgrounds. Children are our future, and safeguarding their welfare is a responsibility we all share.

Our second priority is combating gender-based violence and advancing gender equality. We have taken vigorous initiatives both domestically and internationally in our fight against gender-based violence. For example, very recently we have initiated on a pilot basis the platform ELPIS (hope in Greek) in an additional effort to prevent and eliminate violence against women. This platform will be fully operational in the first half of 2025.

At the same time, we will continue calling for the criminalisation of femicides, we will continue condemning violent and abusive behaviour against women, and we will continue promoting policies for economic growth and social inclusion of all. Gender equality is a pillar of sustainable development, and we will work tirelessly to ensure these goals are met.

Lastly, our third priority is promoting economic, social, and cultural rights. This includes safeguarding the right of access and participation in cultural rights. We pledge to continue working towards solidifying a human rights-based approach to cultural heritage protection. We will also continue protecting the rights of those in vulnerable situations, including by promoting the dignity, social inclusion, and welfare of persons with disabilities and, of course, the elderly.

The Republic of Cyprus’ dedication to the principles of the United Nations Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is not only rooted in our values but also in our history. As a small state that has endured foreign aggression and suffers from a 50-year-long military occupation, we are particularly attuned to the necessity of peacekeeping, respect for sovereignty, and unwavering adherence to international law.

As the host country to one of the longest-running peacekeeping operations in the history of the United Nations – I take this opportunity to thank Colin Stewart – we are acutely aware of the necessity of sustaining UN forces that prevent the recurrence of fighting, particularly in the face of ever-evolving challenges.

This year we commemorated the sombre 50^th anniversary of the illegal invasion and continuous military occupation of the Republic of Cyprus.

Since 1974, the invasion and occupation have left deep wounds: nearly one thousand Cypriots remain missing, displaced citizens are still denied access to their homes, and cultural heritage sites have been destroyed or face continuous threats. We will not accept the normalisation of these injustices, nor will we allow human rights to become mere statistics. To echo Nelson Mandela, “To deny people their human rights is to challenge their very humanity”.

Within this context, since my election, I have stressed that the principal priority of my Presidency is the end of the division and occupation and the reunification of my country, on the basis of the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions. I have and will continue to spare no effort to this effect, and I am encouraged, following our recent meeting in New York, that this same commitment is also shared by the Secretary-General of United Nations, Mr Guterres.

We know very well that the path to reunification through a bizonal, bicommunal federation with political equality, as defined by the relevant UN Security Council resolutions, is the only way forward for a viable, long-lasting solution to the Cyprus problem.

We also know that the obstacles and the difficulties will continue to persist, but we are fully committed and confident that with the help of the Good Offices of the Secretary General and the support of the international community, these efforts will gradually start bearing fruit.

I will continue to aspire and tirelessly work for the advancement of this process in order to reunify Cyprus, so that all Cypriots will be able to live in a free and independent country, member state of the European Union, fully enjoying their human rights.

In closing, I would like to underline the importance for all of us, despite the difficulties and the obstacles, to continue reinforcing our commitment to the vision of the United Nations and to making human rights not just an ideal but a reality for all. The Republic of Cyprus will continue to champion these rights, but we cannot do so alone. It is something that we will achieve together with unwavering resolve and shared purpose, and I really believe that we can work to secure a future where dignity, justice, and peace will prevail.

(RM/IA/GS)