Exhibition "Human Rights and the Culture of Islam"

Mr. Minister,
Mr. Ambassador,
Mr. President of the General Assembly,
Dr. Al Marri,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen:

It is my pleasure to welcome you to the opening of this remarkable exhibition promoting human rights through the ancient and beautiful art of Arabic calligraphy. Calligraphy is one of the world’s oldest and greatest artistic expressions. It is a shared cultural heritage of many countries in Asia, Europe and the Middle East. I would like to thank Ambassador Faisal Bin Abdulla Al-Henzab and the Permanent Mission of the State of Qatar for bringing this exhibition to the Palais des Nations, which I am sure will be appreciated by the participants in 31st Session of the Human Rights Council.

The very ancient aspirations of mankind for human liberties and dignity found its way into holy scriptures of all major religions of the world. This eternal quest has taken the shape of simple, yet definitive language and most exquisite calligraphic writing. We are very fortunate today to have an occasion to appreciate the calligraphic works of Qatari artists, which reveal a profound affinity between selected suras from the Quran and the fundamental instruments of the United Nations Organization.

The United Nations Office at Geneva values the constructive interaction with Qatari authorities and the Permanent Mission of the State of Qatar. Qatar has built a solid record of cooperation with the Human Rights Council and its mechanisms. With a standing invitation to special procedures issued in 2010, a number of mandate holders have since visited the country to assist the national government in further improving the human rights situation.

Calligraphy is a mastery of patience and precision, human rights are about compassion and courage. These are exactly the qualities that all stakeholders need to possess throughout the important deliberations which will unfold over the next four weeks of the 31st session of the Human Rights Council.

Thank you very much for your presence, and enjoy the exhibition.