On 10 December 2018, the Human Rights Day and 70^th anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights were celebrated at Mykhailivska (St. Michael’s) Square in Kyiv.

The event was organized by the United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Heads and representatives of diplomatic missions and international organizations, government officials, and ordinary citizens took part in the event.

In his welcoming remarks, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs Sergiy Kyslytsya underscored the importance of human rights protection, particularly in the situation of armed conflict. This was the objective of the invitation extended to the UN Human Rights Mission by the Government of Ukraine following the start of the Russian military aggression and occupation of the Crimean peninsula - to support the Government in ensuring protection of human rights in the occupied territories.

Protection of human rights is a common responsibility of the Government, the Parliament and the civil society; it starts with each of us, Kyslytsya said at the opening ceremony. He also stressed the importance of the Mission’s presence in the temporarily occupied territories.

Head of the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine Fiona Frazer, UN Resident Coordinator in Ukraine Osnat Lubrani as well as foreign ambassadors also spoke at the opening ceremony.