On the 10th of December, we join the global community in marking the United Nations General Assembly’s 1948 adoption of the ‘Universal Declaration of Human Rights’. The adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights marked a major milestone in the history of human rights.

The Seychellois Charter of Fundamental Human Rights and Freedoms guarantees our rights as Seychellois citizens, no matter our race, gender, religious belief, or political opinion.

Today, I am proud to recognize the significant contributions of our national human rights institutions, civil society organizations, and human rights advocates.

We mark this occasion under challenging circumstances as we grapple to recover from the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is more critical now than ever to reaffirm the fundamental rights and freedoms proclaimed in the Declaration and our own Constitution. A holistic approach involving all branches of Government and non-governmental actors is vital to the effective promotion and protection of human rights.

I take this opportunity to commend our front-line officers who continue to work tirelessly to protect our fundamental rights and are safeguarding our people and our country from a faceless enemy.

With rights come responsibilities. We must also take time to reflect on what more we can do as a community and as individuals to contribute to society so that we can all enjoy our rights as citizens of this beautiful country. One of our duties as citizens is to follow the Health Guidelines from the Health Authorities.

I call on every one of us to recommit ourselves to preserving our hard-earned gains as a Nation and to keep on working hard for the prosperity of our beloved Seychelles.

Standing together as one, we can recover better and rebuild our country into a prosperous and resilient Nation we are proud to call our home.

Wavel Ramkalawan 

President of the Republic of Seychelles