Opportunities for the Adoption of a Resolution on the Cyrus Cylinder as a Human Rights Charter
| In an exclusive article published in Payam-e Ma newspaper on the occasion of World Human Rights Day, the Secretary-General of the Iranian National Commission for UNESCO stated that the Cyrus Cylinder, as a historical document and part of the common heritage of humanity, was registered by consensus at UNESCO’s 43rd General Conference, with the support of Iran, Tajikistan, and Iraq. The Cylinder is a global symbol of respect for human rights, cultural diversity, and intercultural dialogue, and strengthens the standing of Iran and its cultural heritage on the international stage. |
Human rights may be defined as the fundamental, inalienable, and universal rights of all human beings. Pursuant to Article 2 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted in 1948, human rights are rights to which all people are entitled without distinction of any kind, such as race, sex, color, language, religion, belief, national or social origin, property, or birth status. In other words, within the human rights discourse, human identity is defined independently of any of the aforementioned characteristics.
Nevertheless, human rights encompass both individual and collective rights, requiring that individuals be able to enjoy rights that embrace identity-related and cultural elements. People have the right to practice and live their culture without discrimination. Living in a world of cultures without discrimination requires the acceptance of plurality and diversity. It is here that the relationship between human rights and cultural diversity becomes apparent. Human rights serve to safeguard cultural diversity and provide a necessary foundation for advancing intercultural dialogue.
Respect for and acceptance of cultural diversity are reflected in international instruments. These include the United Nations General Assembly resolution on human rights and cultural diversity, adopted on 19 December 2011, whose preamble emphasizes respect for the cultural diversity of nations and the customs and traditions of Indigenous Peoples; and the resolution on human rights and cultural diversity adopted by the Third Committee of the United Nations General Assembly on 31 October 2013, which underscores the need to recognize cultural diversity and the right to cultural development. The latter also recognizes human rights as universal, indivisible, and interrelated, while emphasizing the importance of taking into account the national and regional characteristics and the historical, cultural, and religious backgrounds of peoples.
In this regard, the Iranian National Commission for UNESCO and the Permanent Delegation of the Islamic Republic of Iran to UNESCO, in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, sought to advance the objectives of UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, promote peace, underscore the importance of realizing human rights, and foster intercultural dialogue to safeguard cultural diversity. At UNESCO’s 43rd General Conference, with Tajikistan and Iraq as co-sponsors, they secured consensus on the recognition of the Cyrus Cylinder, this historical tablet, as a document embodying the principles of respect for human rights and cultural diversity.
As part of the common heritage of humanity, the Cyrus Cylinder can serve as a global symbol of the promotion of justice and respect for cultural diversity by providing an opportunity to strengthen intercultural dialogue. By highlighting Iran’s standing and its rich cultural heritage on the global stage, it can also help strengthen Iran’s position internationally and be presented to the world as a cultural and symbolic instrument for promoting respect for and the consolidation of human rights.
