Bulgaria’s President participates in the 41st Session of UN Human Rights Council

Bulgaria’s President Rumen Radev is in Geneva on 24^th of June to participate in the 41st Session of the UN Human Rights Council. The protection of human rights is not achievable without lasting peace and sustainable development, the Bulgarian head of state said in his speech.

Bulgaria was elected a member of the Human Rights Council for the period 2019-2021 in October 2018. This is a recognition of Bulgaria's consistent policy in this area. Bulgaria is for the first time a member of the intergovernmental body that is part of the UN system. The Council meets in Geneva.

More than 7 decades after the establishment of the UN, international cooperation on respect for human rights and freedoms remains an important value and a key goal, said President Radev in his speech. He is the first Bulgarian president to speak from this stand. His speech was in English - one of the six official languages of the United Nations.

Rumen Radev: Protection of human rights is not achievable without lasting peace and sustainable development and vice versa. In view of this interrelation, the connectivity and cooperation between authorities and agencies in the UN system needs to be further strengthened.

In many countries, climate change is preventing people from benefiting from fundamental rights, the Bulgarian president said, and said the implementation of appropriate mitigation measures was a top priority. In his words, Bulgaria appreciates the fact that the influence of new technologies, including artificial intelligence, on human rights is subject of the discussions.

Rumen Radev: For the first time, my country is a member of the Human Rights Council, but we are working to increase its effectiveness and efficiency and take steps to encourage all stakeholders in the process.

Tolerance and understanding are values that are the foundation of modern democracy, Rumen Radev said and stressed that anti-Semitism is still present in some countries.

Rumen Radev: The rescue of the Bulgarian Jews by nearly 50,000 people in 1943 is one of the most significant moments in our modern history. Bulgaria's full membership in the International Alliance for Holocaust Victims is an acknowledgment of our clear response to growing anti-Semitism, xenophobia and hate speech.

President Radev pointed out that the rights of the children are a top priority for Bulgaria, there are a number of initiatives for the inclusive education of children with disabilities. He said that Bulgaria has made significant progress in involving women in economic governance. He noted that Bugaria protects the rights of young people and encourages their participation in all spheres of political and social life.