Similar to previous years, the Forum provides an outstanding opportunity for national and international human rights experts representing international organizations, governments, academia and the civil society to exchange views on human rights issues in various fields.
The internationally recognized two-day forum was opened by Minister of State for Security Policy and International Cooperation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade Dr. István Mikola. He emphasised that Hungary has played an active role in the establishment of the United Nations 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development and has paid special attention to its human rights aspects. The participants of the conference were also addressed by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein in a video message.
At the opening event of the conference Director of the United Nations Information Service in Vienna and former Chief of Press of UN Secretary General Ban-Ki Moon Martin Nesirky and Permanent Representative of Hungary to the UN in New York Katalin Bogyay held keynote speeches to honour the UN’s 70th anniversary and Hungary’s six decade long membership in the organization.
The eighth Budapest Human Rights Forum is an organic part of the international discussion on human rights issues, and thus it reinforces Hungary’s traditional commitment and openness to debates on current challenges of human rights.
The topics of this year’s forum cover the human rights aspects of the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development, the practical experiences related to the implementation of the UN Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review, the freedom of information and expression, as well as cultural and linguistic autonomy of minorities and the increasing interest towards the connection between human rights and business.