The first Beijing Forum on Human Rights, organized by China Society for Human Rights Studies with” Development, Security and Human Rights” as the theme, was held in Beijing between April 2I-23,2008,attended by over 110 human rights experts and officials from 31 states and international organizations including China, United States, Canada, Russia, Switzerland, Austria, Australia, Ukraine, Japan, South Africa, India, Indonesia, Iran, Egypt, Brazil, the United Nations, the European Union, etc. Officials from the embassies of Ukraine, Switzerland, Peru, Uzbekistan and Uruguay in China also participated in the opening ceremony of the forum.

 

Wang Chen, Minister of the State Council Information Office of PRC, Luo Haocai, Vice President of the 10th CPPCC and President of the China Society for Human Rights Studies, Sergei A. Ordzhonikidze, Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva, and Nina Karpachova, Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights addressed the opening ceremony.

 

The attendees made discussions focusing on the theme ”Development. Security and Human Rights,” and commonly recognized that it is of great significance to hold this forum at the 60th anniversary of the release of the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights, to review and summarize experiences and 1essons obtained from the 60 years development of world human rights, analyze the opportunities and challenges we are faced with at present, and actively seek for better interaction and concerted porgress of world development, security and human rights. The attendees acknowledged that development, security and human rights are interrelated and inseparable; right to development is an inalienable human right which is critical to resolve all problems in the current society, as well as a significant foundation and prerequisite to realize secunty and human rights as living in a society of poverty ignorance and deteriorating environment is not secure or accordant with human dignity; security is an important human right and a vital precondition to realize development and universal human rights, which cannot be achieved in the circumstance of wars, conflicts, violence and terrorism at home or abroad; human beings are the subject of development and  security, while development and security must be achieved by human rights and for them and result in full realization of human rights, as sustainable development and lasting peace and stability cannot be accomplished without effective guarantee of human rights. Diversity of civilization, culture and human rights development mode must be respected in the process of realizing development, security and human rights. Power politics and hegemonism, cold war thinking, unjust international order, selectivity and dual standard are the main factors hindering development, security and human rights. Adhering to the purpose and principles of UN Charter, conducting international cooperation on basis of sovereignty equality is the cornerstone for development, security and human rights. Attendees altogether are deeply concerned with such threats to development, security and human rights as war, conflict, weapons of mass destruction, violent and terrorist activities and poverty; lethal epidemics and environmental deterioration. Attendees also positively appraised Chinese human rights development mode and achievements in their speeches.

 

This book is a compilation of all the 82 papers received by the forum, the content of which is categorized into six parts according to themes, and by which we hope to express our commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and good will of advancing the healthy development of human rights cause and promoting international cooperation on human rights.

 

 

Chief Editors: Dong Yunhu & Chen Zhengong

Executive Chief Editor: Wang Linxia

Executive Deputy Chief Editor: Ren Danhong