UN Secretary-General's Spokesman on the 50th anniversary of the death of Dr. Martin Luther King
Statement attributable to the Spokesman for the Secretary-General on the 50th anniversary of the death of Dr. Martin
Luther King
The Secretary-General joins the United States and the world in celebrating the legacy of civil rights leader Dr. Martin
Luther King Jr., whose life was so tragically cut short 50 years ago.
Dr. King was one of the moral giants of the 20thcentury. He devoted his life to equality, justice, and non-violent
social change. Decades after his death, he continues to inspire all those around the world who are struggling for human
rights and human dignity in the face of oppression, discrimination and injustice. His advocacy and pronouncements
against discrimination, and in favour of social justice, of global understanding and the virtues of diversity are more
relevant today than ever.
The United Nations honored Dr. King for his outstanding contribution to the promotion and protection of the human rights
embodied in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other United Nations human rights instruments, awarding him
posthumously the United Nations Prize in the Field of Human Rights in 1978
As we remember Dr. King’s life, let us build on his legacy.
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