Human Rights Monitoring Institute

Today, HRMI launched the program of good will ambassadors for human rights. At the launch ceremony in the premises of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dainius Puras, HRMI Board Chair, and Ruta Ambrasuniene, Programme Director of the National UNESCO Commission, announced accomplished artist and popular TV personality Nomeda Marcenaite the first good will ambassador for human rights. Henrikas Mickevicius, HRMI Executive Director, expressed his hope that Nomeda Marcenaite will use her popularity to promote a culture respectful towards human rights in Lithuania. 
 
Nomeda Marcenaite - for years known and respected for her devotion to helping the most vulnerable groups, orphans in particular - has been honored with a pin made by two young artists and a Human Rights Ambassador's certificate. In her thank you speech, Ms. Marcenaite stressed that so far the concept of human rights has not found its proper place on the political agenda in Lithuania and called for more attention to issues relevant to the protection of human dignity and freedom.  

During the event, Asta Skaisgiryte-Liauskiene, the Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs, opened the exhibition “Artists for Human Rights“ organised by HRMI and its partners within the Human Rights Awareness Month. Ms. Skaisgiryte-Liauskiene expressed her satisfaction that Lithuania, as a member of numerous international organizations which protect human rights,  traditionally joins the worldwide commemoration of the Human Rights Day, and moreover celebrates human rights through a number of events during the month of December. Ms. Skaisgiryte-Liauskiene emphasized a mutually rewarding cooperation between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the HRMI and the art gallery „Vartai“, which has collected works of well-known Lithuanian artists not indifferent to human rights. 

In his address, Steinar Gil, ambassador of Norway to Lithuania, noted that even in a democratic state where human rights are protected on political, legal and institutional levels awareness-raising and human rights education are essential. The ambassador also outlined that the language of art just like human rights standards is universal and has no boundaries, and that artists have the possibility, and in fact the duty, to speak up for the most complex and controversial problems.

The exhibition is made of artworks which were created for or dedicated to human rights. Each piece of art is accompanied by the author‘s written commentary. The exhibition will be opened until 15th December.