During the 46^th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, the Chinese Association for International Understanding, China Foundation for Human Rights Development, and the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung of Germany co-organised the side event themed “Better Exchanges and Mutual Learning among Different Civilisations: A Way of Promoting Human Rights” on March 11. NGO leaders, experts and scholars from China, Germany, the Netherlands, India, Japan, Nepal, South Africa, and Sri Lanka conducted in-depth discussions on topics “concept of human rights amid civilisation diversity” and “dialogues among different civilisations: role in expanding consensus on human rights”.

Participants agreed that as the world today is at a historical moment of special significance, joining hands in tackling COVID-19 and other challenges facing the humanity requires people of all countries to increase understanding and maintain trust and unity. NGOs across the world should strengthen exchanges and cooperation to build more bridges for people-to-people friendship and connectivity, mutual learning and common development, which will help realise the common development of different civilisations and people of all countries in an effort to jointly build the community with a shared future for mankind. The principle of universality of human rights should be in accordance with the realities of different countries. Due to different historical backgrounds, cultural traditions, and levels of development, countries have different ways of respecting and protecting human rights.

Former Minister of Justice of Germany Madam Herta Daubler-Gmelin, Secretary-General of the India-China Economic and Cultural Council Mr. Mohammd Saqib, Deputy Chairman of the Tokyo Japan-China Friendship Association Mr. Yohei Ito, Director of East Asia Program of South Africa’s Wits University Professor Garth Sheldon, Professor Li Erping at the Faculty of Management and Economics of Kunming University of Science and Technology, Dean of the School of Tibetan Studies of Minzu University of China Mr. Su Faxiang, and Secretary General of Chongqing Equal Social Development Promotion Centre Mr. Zhang Qile attended the webinar.

After the webinar, the representatives drafted a joint statement on the consensus reached and submitted it to the secretariat of the United Nations Human Rights Council.