STORY: Arrival of new UN Human Rights High Commissioner Volker Türk at Palais Wilson

TRT: 03:23

SOURCE: OHCHR
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: English/NATS
ASPECT RATIO: 16:9 
DATELINE:  17-10-2022 GENEVA, SWITZERLAND 

SHOTLIST 

1. Exterior shots: Palais Wilson, Geneva.
2. Various exterior shot: Arrival of HC Volker Türk through the gates of Palais Wilson greeted by UN Human rights spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani
3. Various shots interior: Arriving at his office in Palais Wilson.
4. SOUNDBITE (English)—Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR): “It's very important at this point in time to have a very strong focus on human rights.”
5. SOUNDBITE (English)—Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR): “Let's not forget, it's one of the fundamental pillars of the United Nations, apart from peace and security and sustainable development. It comes at a very critical point in time when we have seen so many divisions around the world, but also incredible pushback on gender issues, on civic space issues, on the utter contempt for human life in warfare – just recently, now, as we speak, what's happening in Ukraine, but also in places like Ethiopia and elsewhere. For me, it's very important in the exercise of my responsibilities to be guided by the impact that we can have on people's lives and how they interact with each other, how they interact with nature and with future generations. That's incredibly important.”
6. SOUNDBITE (English)—Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR): “I will also be guided by the Charter of the United Nations, by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, by all these incredible achievements of humanity, the different human rights, normative instruments that have been established.”
7. SOUNDBITE (English)—Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR): “For me, human rights is a common language of humanity. It unifies us. It is not meant to divide us. I think that's a very important message and we need to strive together. Working with yourselves, with Member States, with governments, with civil society organizations, with parliamentarians, with faith leaders, to advance this extremely important cause that we all believe in, because ultimately it affects all our lives, and we need to respect that very much.”
8. SOUNDBITE (English)—Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR): “So, thank you very much and look forward to working with you.”
9. SOUNDBITE (English)—Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR): “Protection of media and journalists is incredibly important for me, and I will be putting a particular emphasis on that. It's very important at this point in time to have a very strong focus on human rights.”
10. Medium shots: UN High Commissioner Volker Türk at his desk.

SCRIPT 

Volker Türk began his four-year mandate as the eighth United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, this morning at the Palais Wilson in Geneva.

“It's very important at this point in time to have a very strong focus on human rights,” the High Commissioner stated.

“Let's not forget, it's one of the fundamental pillars of the United Nations, apart from peace and security and sustainable development. It comes at a very critical point in time when we have seen so many divisions around the world, but also incredible pushback on gender issues, on civic space issues, on the utter contempt for human life in warfare – just recently now and as we speak, what's happening in Ukraine, but also in places like Ethiopia and elsewhere. For me, it's very important in the exercise of my responsibilities to be guided by the impact that we can have on people's lives and how they interact with each other, how they interact with nature and with future generations. That's incredibly important,” he added.

“I will also be guided by the Charter of the United Nations, by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, by all these incredible achievements of humanity, the different human rights, normative instruments that have been established,” Türk said.

Adding “For me, human rights is a common language of humanity. It unifies us. It is not meant to divide us. I think that's a very important message and we need to strive together. Working with yourselves, with Member States, with governments, with civil society organizations, with parliamentarians, with faith leaders to advance this extremely important cause that we all believe in, because ultimately it affects all our lives, and we need to respect that very much.”

“So, thank you very much and look forward to working with you.”

And in conclusion “Protection of media and journalists is incredibly important for me, and I will be putting a particular emphasis on that. It's very important at this point in time to have a very strong focus on human rights.”

For more information and media requests, please contact: 

In Geneva: Ravina Shamdasani - + 41 22 917 9169 / ravina.shamdasani@un.org