Arab World Books Special Events

Our Special Events cover important issues related to our theme and are usually the main topic of our discussions at the Debate Corner.
At our Debate Corner you can interact with other people who share your interests worldwide.

Universal declaration of Human Rights

Seminar of Islamic commentaries on the UDHR Enriching the Universality of Human Rights

High Commissioner's Opening Speech

Dr. Aboulmagd speech on non-discrimination

On 10 December 1948, the international community adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights - a common standard of achievement, which recognized the inherent dignity and the equal and inalienable rights of all people in all nations. The 50th Anniversary of this historic Declaration in 1998, will be a time to look back with pride on many accomplishments and to consider the lessons learned over the past 50 years in the promotion and protection of human rights.
The seminar of Islamic commentaries on the UDHR springs out from one of the many ideas to commemorate this anniversary. It is organized by the Office of the High Commissioner in cooperation with the OIC, and brings together some 20 experts.
The invited experts were selected in consultation with the OIC on the basis of the depth of their Islamic legal background and knowledge of human rights law, as well as their familiarity with other legal systems and cultures. The list of the experts who have been invited to participate in the seminar is as follows:

Prof. Idriss Alaoui Abdellaoui (Morocco),
Membre du Conseil Constitutionel

Dr. Ahmad Kamal Aboulmagd (Egypt),
Professor of Public Law, University of Cairo

Mr. Abdul-Rahman Abu Al Nasre (Palestine),
Lecturer, Faculty of Law, Gaza

Dr. Mohammad Abdallah Al Ansari (Kuwait),
Director of the Department of International Relations, Ministry of Justice

Dr. Mohammad Saïd Albouti (Syria),
Chief of the Department of Beliefs and Religions. University of Damascus

M. Yaya Bawa Abdoulaye (Togo),
Procureur général près la Cour d'Appel de Lomé

Mme. Wassila Ben Hamda (Tunisia),
Directeur du Département Culture islamique à l'Institut supérieur de civilisation islamique, Tunis

M. Sahib Ben Cheikh (Algeria),
Mufti de la Mosquée de Marseille

Dr. Mustafa Ceric (Bosnia),
Grand Mufti of Bosnia

M. Mamadou Bobo Diallo (Guinea),
Conseiller juridique au Ministère des Affaires Etrangères

Dr. Ridwan El Sayyed (Lebanon),
Editor-in-Chief, al-Lithad, Beirut

M. Hafiz Elsheikh El Zaki (Sudan),
Deputy Chief Justice

Dr. Kamel Al-Shareef (Jordan),
Secretary-General, International Islamic Council for Daw'a and Relief

Dr. Nurcholish Madjid (Indonesia),
Rector of the University of Paramadina Mulya, Jakarta

M. El. Hadji Ravane Mbaye (Senegal),
Directeur général de l'Institut islamique de Dakar

Mr. Hossein Mehrpour (Iran),
Professor of Islamic Jurisprudence and Civil law, Beheshti University, Tehran

Dr. Azim Nanji (Kenya),
Director, The Institute of Ismaili Studies

Ms. Norani Othman (Malaysia),
Associate Professor, Jabatan Antropologi & Sosiologi, University Kebangsaan Malaysia

Ms. Mashuda Khatun Shefali (Bangladesh),
Executive Director, Center for Women's Initiatives

Dr. Adnam Ben Mohammed Al-Wazan (Saudi Arabia),
Secretary General (Wakil) of the Ministry of Islamic Affairs

Participants in the Seminar

Mrs. Mary Robinson, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Seminar Moderator

Dr. Azedine Laraki, Secretary-General, Organization of the Islamic Conference

Dr. Bacre W. Ndiaye, Director, New York Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Assistant Moderator of the Seminar.

.Special Guest of the High Commissioner

H. E. Sheik Ahmed Zaki Yamani, Lawyer, Chairman of the Al Furqan Islamic Heritage Foundation

Themes for discussion

First day: 9 November (morning):

Theme One: Islam, the principle of non-discrimination and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

-Islam and the rights of non-Muslims
-Islam and women

9 November (afternoon):

Theme Two: Islam, civil and political rights and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

-Freedom of thought
-Freedom of speech
-Freedom of movement
-The criminal justice system
-Islam and the rights of citizens

Second day: 10 November (morning):

Theme Three: Islam, economic, social and cultural rights and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights - Zakat, the principle of solidarity and duties to the community - The right to development (including the right to self-determination, popular participation, environment, natural resources, rights to food, health and shelter, etc.) 10 November (afternoon): Exchange of views by experts: Islamic perspectives on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights