A short film urging the U.N. to give Taiwan a voice at the general assemblyand other activities, mechanisms and meetings of the world body was released Sept. 8 by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“To Freedom” showcases Taiwan as a force for good committed to safeguarding human rights and advancing freedom for all. It comprises the personal stories of eight individuals spanning the areas of culture, gender, language, participatory democracy, religion, same-sex marriage, transitional justice, and rights of the physical and mentally challenged.
By demonstrating how the country’s diverse ethnic and religious groups are respected, the film underscores the government’s commitment to fulfilling the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals, the MOFA said.
It is also in line with the theme of the U.N. General Assembly suggested by UNGA President-elect Abdulla Shahid: “Building resilience through hope—to recover from COVID-19, rebuild sustainability, respond to the needs of the planet, respect the rights of people and revitalize the United Nations,” the ministry added.
The 76th UNGA opens Sept. 14 at the headquarters of the world body in New York, with the general debate set for Sept. 21-27. It comprises all 193 U.N. members, and serves as a specialized forum for multilateral discussion of international matters covered by the charter.
According to the MOFA, the film is available on the ministry’s social media platforms with subtitles in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, German, Indonesian, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Thai and Vietnamese.
In a tweet on its official Twitter account, the MOFA said “#Taiwan is a human rights heavyweight. The country’s 23.5 million people are free to speak, learn, believe, vote & love. Watch “To Freedom” & join the call to give Taiwan a voice at #UNGA76. #TaiwanCanHelp realize the #GlobalGoals, #PresidencyOfHope & revitalize the #UN.” (SFC-E)
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