United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk was on an official visit to Athens, on November 18 and 19. During his first day of visit, the High Commissioner was received by the Prime Minister of Greece, Kyriakos Mitsotakis. On the same day, the High Commissioner was invited by the University of Athens to deliver a lecture on ‘The Centrality of Human Rights in the Current Context’. The event was held under the auspices of the Foreign Ministry and was addressed by the University’s Vice Rector, Professor Sophia Papaioannou, School of Law Dean, Professor Konstantinos Christodoulou, the former President of the European Court of Human Rights, Professor Linos-Alexander Sicilianos and Foreign Ministry International Organisations Director-General, Ambassador Maria Theofili.
During his address, the High Commissioner invoked the words of Greek poet and Nobel Laureate, Giorgos Seferis who said that “in our gradually shrinking world, everyone is in need of all the others”. The speaker noted that these words constitute a powerful reminder of the change we can achieve together and highlighted that a commitment to human rights can build bridges for a better future.
The following day, the High Commissioner was received by Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis. The Minister praised the work of the High Commission, underpinned the importance of its contribution, as well as Volker Türk’s personal engagement and achievements in the field of human rights protection, especially during challenging times. The Minister reaffirmed Greece’s unwavering support towards the body’s high mission, particularly during the country’s tenure as an elected member on the UN’s Security Council for the years 2025/26. He further committed to intensify cooperation for human rights protection across international fora and instruments.
On his final day in Athens, the High Commissioner attended a Foreign Ministry event on “Institutional Initiatives for Gender Equality,” which was jointly held with the Greek National Commission for Human Rights (GNCHR). The event was an opportunity to present the Ministry’s Equality Action Plan for the years 2024-2027, as well as GNCHR’s report on the “Status of Women in Greece”.
Volker Türk of Austria is the eighth High Commissioner to lead the Office. He was appointed by the United Nations Secretary-General in 2022 and his mission is to protect and promote all human rights for all, providing assistance to governments so they can implement the international human rights standards they’ve committed to.