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Interview with
h.E. Mr. Yuri STErK

Ambassador of Bulgaria to the United nations in Geneva

His Excellency is an experienced diplomat Another priority of ours has been the
with more than 34 years in the diplomatic advancement and empowerment of women
career, including several ambassadorial and girls in all spheres of life – social, economic,
assignments and an appointment as deputy political – and countering discrimination on
minister for foreign affairs of his country. The any grounds, including the fight against anti-
year 2023 was a busy as well as a successful Semitism, intolerance, racial discrimination
one, for Bulgaria was elected to the Human and discrimination based on religion. All this
Rights Council. We had a chance to meet the will be part of our commitment within the
Ambassador just before the holiday season, to Human Rights Council in 2024 and beyond.
learn about his intentions and plans for this
coming year. Another important area for us is the freedom of
expression, where we will continue to support
First of all, we would like to congratulate you media freedom and the safety of journalists
on your position on the rights of the child and while countering disinformation, which has
your seat on the Human Rights Council. become a significant contemporary threat to
Thank you. Regarding the rights of the child, the freedom of expression and freedom of
let me stress it’s not a new position, rather it is opinion.
a matter of continuity for my country, building
on what we have done so far, on our consistent In a nutshell, these are my country’s
national position, which is also, as you know, priorities for the next term on the Human
part of our stance within the European Rights Council, from 2024 to 2026. We will
Union. Already during our previous term on be focusing on education as a vehicle for
the Human Rights Council, children’s rights ensuring that all children around the world
were an important vector of our engagement. are able to enjoy their rights as provided by
At that time our focus was on the rights of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
children with disabilities. and the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

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