The 54th Ordinary Session of the UN Human Rights Council started in Geneva. The meeting held at the UN Geneva Office started with a moment of silence in solidarity with Morocco, which was shaken by a 7 magnitude earthquake.
The session was attended by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, 2023 Term President of the UN Human Rights Council, Ambassador Vaclav Balek, Permanent Representative of the Czech Republic to the UN Geneva Office, Ambassador Güven Begeç, Permanent Representative of Turkey to the UN Geneva Office, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Geneva. Representative Kemal Köprülü and representatives of other countries and UN institutions attended.
Balek made evaluations about the issues and technical details that will be brought to the agenda within the scope of the session. In his opening speech to the 54th Ordinary Session of the Human Rights Council, Commissioner Türk stated that people all over the world want and have the right to a reasonable standard of living.
Türk emphasized that people have justified expectations such as access to food, affordable medical care, education and equal opportunities, a clean environment and a good economic situation as a result of fair sharing of resources.
"To ensure all these, people want active and meaningful participation in decisions and governments that serve their demands," said Türk, adding that from time to time, people are deprived of these rights and are crushed under unfair developments.
"THE QURAN BURNING EVENTS CAUSED DIVISION WITHIN SOCIETIES AND BETWEEN COUNTRIES"
"Injustice, poverty, exploitation and oppression are the cause of grievances that lead to tensions, conflicts, displacement and further misery. Climate change is pushing millions of people into hunger, destroying hopes, opportunities, homes and lives. In recent months, urgent warnings on this issue have repeatedly become deadly realities around the world", Türk said.
Noting that the world does not need any more warnings to overcome the problems it is facing and that it is in the worst possible situation, Türk emphasized that "urgent action" is now needed.
"The recent spate of nearly 30 outrageous burnings of the Holy Quran is the latest manifestation of the drive for polarization and fragmentation that is causing division both within societies and between countries. I will discuss this issue in detail on 6 October in line with Resolution 53/1," Türk added.
Stating that more than 2,300 people died or went missing in the Mediterranean this year, including more than 600 people who died in a single shipwreck off the coast of Greece in June, Türk said he was shocked by the indifference regarding this.
Türk stated that many more immigrants and refugees died unnoticed in the seas around Europe, including the English Channel.
Emphasizing that they witnessed the "politics of deception" around the world, Türk pointed out that with the help of new technologies, lies and disinformation are mass-produced to prevent any action that could endanger the interests of the established elites.