Municipalities’ Agenda on the occasion of the International Human Rights Day (10 December 2024): Defending Rights and the Law
Considering that, as stated by the High Commissioner for Human Rights at the United Nations General Assembly, "we are in a particularly dangerous period in history, in particular when disregard, disrespect for international humanitarian and international human rights law is reaching a deafening crescendo" and that "[i]nternational law is the edifice that generations before us built to protect humanity from self-destruction";
Considering that "without law, there is only violence, injustice and exploitation" and that "investment in human rights is investment in peace, and it is more essential than ever";
Considering that the United Nations Organisation was created in 1945, after a terrible sequence of wars, genocides, holocaust, gulags, ethnic cleansing and atomic bombs, to "save succeeding generations from the scourge of war", "reaffirm faith in fundamental rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person" and "promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom";
Considering that the UN is the origin of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, in whose Preamble it is stated that "recognition of the inherent dignity of all members of the human family and of their equal and inalienable rights is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world";
Having seen and considered the Pact for the Future adopted by the leaders of almost all countries of the world (September 2024), including the Italian Prime Minister, during the Summit of the Future held in September at the UN headquarters in New York, which reaffirms the need to promote the "recommitment to international cooperation based on respect for international law, without which we can neither manage the risks nor seize the opportunities that we face."; it recognises "that the multilateral system and its institutions, with the United Nations and its Charter at the centre, must be strengthened to keep pace with a changing world" and reaffirms "our unwavering commitment to act in accordance with international law, including the Charter of the United Nations and its purposes and principles";
Deeply concerned about the continuous evident massive violations of human rights, legality and international law, including the Charter of the United Nations, responsible for shocking human losses and suffering and for the continuous attempts to paralyse, condition, weaken, delegitimise and marginalise the UN system;
Deeply concerned about the escalation of ongoing carnage and the tragic consequences of so many war crimes and crimes against humanity that remain unpunished and of so many binding decisions of the Security Council and the International Court of Justice that remain ignored;
Strongly alarmed by the repeated armed attacks on the UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon (UNIFIL) that have killed and wounded numerous peacekeepers and destroyed United Nations facilities and equipment;
Strongly alarmed by the decision of the Israeli parliament to prevent the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) from continuing its essential work for nearly 6 million refugees in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, including East Jerusalem, as mandated by the United Nations General Assembly; a decision that follows the killing of over two hundred UN employees and the destruction of schools, hospitals and other United Nations facilities;
Considering that the alternative to the UN is the law of the strongest, the dominion of illegality, arbitrariness, and impunity, international chaos, planetary environmental devastation, systematic violation of fundamental human rights, freedoms and democracy;
Aware of the inseparability of the fate of the United Nations, legality and international human rights law;
Recalling that these values, principles and rights are also enshrined in the Italian Constitution which forms the basis of our Republic and in the Treaty on European Union;
Recalling Article ... of the Municipal Statute which states: "...";
Recalling the numerous appeals, initiatives and proposals for the UN of the Peoples, the reform and democratisation of the United Nations promoted, since 1992, by the National Coordination of Local Authorities for Peace and Human Rights in collaboration with the Human Rights Centre "Antonio Papisca" of the University of Padova and other organisations;
Sharing the 2024-2026 programme of the National Coordination of Local Authorities for Peace and Human Rights aimed at transforming every city into a "Cantiere di pace e di futuro" and re-building a conscience, a culture and a policy of peace that expresses itself through the care of others, humanity and the planet;
Having seen the invitation of the National Coordination of Local Authorities for Peace and Human Rights to join the Campaign for the strengthening and democratisation of the UN promoted on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the birth of the United Nations (1945-2025) which will culminate with the Assembly of the UN of the Peoples (6-12 October 2025) and the PerugiAssisi March for peace and fraternity "Imagine All The People" on 12 October 2025;
Having also seen the Coordination's invitation to invite and host in our city one of the representatives of the peoples who will participate in the Assembly of the UN of the Peoples and related initiatives;
REAFFIRMS
its support for the values, principles and objectives stated in the Italian Constitution, the Charter of the United Nations and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, reiterating the centrality of the UN for the construction of a world order of peace and social and economic justice as defined by Article 28 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights;
REQUESTS
the Italian Government and Parliament, the European Commission and Parliament to:
- act, in line with what was signed in the Pact for the Future, to defend, strengthen and relaunch the UN's role for peace, starting with its effective capacity to protect and assist populations overwhelmed by wars;
- work to achieve the cessation of ongoing wars and massacres around the world, starting with Ukraine, the Gaza Strip and Lebanon;
DECIDES
- to join the Campaign for the strengthening and democratisation of the UN promoted on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the birth of the United Nations (1945-2025) which will culminate with the Assembly of the UN of the Peoples (6-12 October 2025) and the PerugiAssisi March for peace and fraternity "Imagine All The People" on 12 October 2025;
- to accept the invitation of the National Coordination of Local Authorities for Peace and Human Rights to invite and host in our city one of the representatives of the peoples who will participate in the Assembly of the UN of the Peoples and related initiatives;
- to collaborate in the implementation of the 2024-2026 programme of activities of the National Coordination of Local Authorities for Peace and Human Rights;
FURTHER DECIDES
to join the National Coordination of Local Authorities for Peace and Human Rights which since 1986 has brought together Municipalities, Provinces and Regions committed in Italy to building peace by promoting human rights, solidarity and international cooperation, according to the modalities provided for by the organisation's Statute.
Curated by the National Coordination of Local Authorities for Peace and Human Rights, Human Rights Centre "Antonio Papisca" of the University of Padova and Fondazione PerugiAssisi per la Cultura della Pace.
Coordinamento Nazionale degli Enti Locali per la Pace e i Diritti Umani
via della Viola 1 (06122) Perugia tel. 335.1837289 - 075/5722479
email info@entilocalipace.it - www.cittaperlapace.it