The Human Rights Square next to the Rafto Human Rights House in Bergen has been approved as a United Nations Human Rights Plaza and was ceremoniously opened yesterday on June 19th. The date of the ceremony was not chosen accidentally: June 19th is the birthday of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. She received the Rafto Prize in 1990 and the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991. Suu Kyi has been kept in house arrest for nearly 11 years. (20-JUNE-2006)

Text and picture: HRH / Nina Luhr

Paal LorentzenThe Rafto Human Rights House in Bergen hopes that the new Plaza in support of the United Nations helps to draw attention to the actuality of the need for a global institution fighting for human rights. This was one of Paal W. Lorentzen´s (right) key points when he held his speach during the opening ceremony in Bergen yesterday. The lawyer also emphasized the relevance of human rights in different societies. There has always been a balance between the collective interest and the respect for each individual´s rights and in times of war on terror this balance meets an additional challenge, he said.

Greetings were given from the Norwegian Minister for Development Mr. Erik Solheim and the Norwegian Ambassador in the United States, Mr Knut Vollebæk. As far as we know the Human Rights Plaza is the only plaza toghether with the one in New York, which has gained the authorisation as an official United Nations´ Plaza. This is a great acknowledgement of our work and the work of our collegues and friends who fights for Human Rights around the world says Arne Liljedahl Lunngaard, the Chairperson of the The Rafto Foundation. 

The Foundation also invited to a open seminar, Monday, focusing on the current situation in Burma. Representatives from the Burmese Diaspora presented important aspects of the Burmese struggle for democracy today. See the program. A complete overview of the activities on the occasion of Suu Kyi´s birthday can be found on the pages of the Norwegian Burma Committee.