Page 357 - 100 Reflections that Crafted Geneva International_V-Petrovsky_private special edition

Bringing the Concept to Life

occasions and hold him in the highest regard. This opera, written by Tania
Leon and directed by Robert Wilson, and which I am told is based on real
events is the embodiment of what free speech is all about because it tackles
issues still dangerously controversial in so many countries. Freedom of speech
is one of the greatest of all human rights, and the one most often violated in the
suppression of artistic expression throughout the world.

It is particularly fitting that this opera performed here in Geneva. Geneva is
much more than an international center for diplomacy and peace-building. It is
also place with an enduring commitment to international humanitarianism in
all its aspects. Most recently, this commitment manifested itself in the
inauguration of the Palais Wilson, the former seat of the League of Nations, as
the new seat of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. This
office will carry the torch for human rights protection well into the next century
and has further solidified Geneva as the world center for human rights
protection. This year Geneva's dedication to humanitarianism will be underscored
by the marking of the 50th Anniversary of the Geneva Convention, an
international humanitarian law which protect the rights of the wounded and
sick in situations of conflict.

The story we will see tonight has inspired so many to endeavor for the
protection of human rights. Through this artistic expression, its creators are
passing on the baton to its spectators, more importantly, to a young generation
to carry on this struggle for preservation of human dignity.

I would like to extend my best wishes to all of your for a new year full of
peace and prosperity.

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