Updated
Second Annual World Human Rights Forum Opens in Marrakech
International Conference a Strong Signal of Morocco’s Commitment to Human Rights
Washington, DC (November 25, 2014) — On Thursday, November 27, the 2nd annual World Human Rights Forum will open in Marrakech, Morocco. For four days, more than 5,000 people from nearly 100 countries will meet to assess progress and challenges in the human rights arena.
In training workshops, roundtables and other activities, participants will discuss critical topics, with 12 of the conference’s 52 thematic forums specifically dedicated to women’s issues. Discussions will also focus on the rights of children, migrants, and people with disabilities.
Human rights activists, development experts, and political and business leaders will be in attendance. Among those expected: Nobel Peace Prize laureates Malala Yousafzai of Pakistan, Shirine Ebadi of Iran, and Kailash Satyarthi of India; UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, former Secretary General Kofi Annan, and former UN Human Rights High Commissioner Navi Pillay; Microsoft founder Bill Gates; and Mikhail Gorbachev.
“Over the past several decades Morocco has prioritized reform to strengthen democracy and human rights institutions, and today is a leader in the region,” said former US Ambassador to Morocco Edward M. Gabriel. “That Morocco is welcoming this Summit is a strong signal of the country’s continuing commitment to assessing and improving human rights.”
In a visit to Morocco earlier this year, then-UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay noted, “…Morocco has clearly made great strides towards the better promotion and protection of human rights…. Morocco is undergoing an important transition and is setting high standards through its Constitution and laws. In my exchanges with the authorities, including His Majesty King Mohamed VI and various ministers, it was clear that there is the political will at the highest levels to continue efforts to set a firm human rights foundation for Moroccan society.”
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Contact: Jordana Merran, 301.873.4484
The Moroccan American Center for Policy (MACP) is a non-profit organization whose principal mission is to inform opinion makers, government officials, and interested publics in the United States about political and social developments in Morocco and the role being played by the Kingdom of Morocco in broader strategic developments in North Africa, the Mediterranean, and the Middle East.
This material is distributed by the Moroccan American Center for Policy on behalf of the Government of Morocco. Additional information is available at the Department of Justice in Washington, DC.