The inaugural ceremony of the Council marked the beginning of its first session. United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan, Mexico Ambassador to the UN and Human Rights Council President Luis Alfonso de Alba, and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour spoke at the ceremony. In his address Kofi Annan drew the attention of members of the Human Rights Council to the fact that they are about to adopt the draft Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance and in this connection urged them to reach “a tangible achievement — one that will bring hope to large groups of people who have lived in a dark shadow of fear.”

After the inauguration the floor was given to members, friends and guests of the Council. Founder of Civil Initiative We Remember Irina Krasovskaya present at the session pointed out that many speakers including Minister of Foreign Affairs of Austria Ursula Plassnik, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Argentina Jorge Taiana, Chilean minister Paulina Veloso in the chair, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Boris Tarasiuk, Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of Croatia Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Andorra Juli Minoves voiced their support for a prompt adoption of the draft Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance. Minister of Foreign Affairs of France Philippe Douste-Blazy made a direct appeal to members of the Council to vote for urgent adoption of the draft Convention.

During the first week of the First session of the United Nations Human Rights Council events in the framework of the High Level Segment are scheduled. A decision on adoption of the draft Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance will be taken during the second session week.

CIWR.ORG press-service

On the picture (left to right): UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, Mexico Ambassador and Human Rights Council President Luis Alfonso de Alba, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour