May 9, Europe Day, celebrates European values, including multiculturalism and respect for diversity. Furthermore, respect for human dignity and human rights, freedom, democracy, equality and the rule of law are the fundamental values of the European Union to which all member states of the most dynamic and progressive alliance of nations in the world are committed.
European values are universal and largely identical to the fundamental human rights and freedoms defined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
As an organization for human rights and freedoms, CIVIL has been tirelessly committed to respecting human rights and freedoms, justice, equality and freedom, which are part of both European and universal human values, for 22 years.
This year, Europe Day, May 9, will be marked in a pandemic from Covid-19, with an emphasis on the EU’s efforts to contribute maximally to the protection of public health, but also the defense of human rights and freedoms in conditions when they are under constant threat from various forms of radicalism, hate speech, xenophobia and at a time when misinformation and conspiracy theories are spreading faster than the coronavirus, a phenomenon known as infodemia which has become another form of threat to public health and democracy.
CIVIL emphasizes the importance of European values and calls on all individuals, communities, institutions and political or civil society organizations at all levels in the country and in Europe to redouble their efforts to defend, advance and promote those values, everywhere and all the time.
EU membership remains one of the highest national goals and strategic interests of the Republic of North Macedonia. We live in a period of challenges when, by accepting and nurturing European values, each of us can make a valuable contribution to EU integration and to improving the lives of all citizens of our country and Europe.
With the project “European Perspectives” CIVIL continues and strengthens even more the efforts to pave the way to the EU by participating in policy making, raising awareness and activism for European values, multiculturalism and non-discrimination, advocating for the introduction of European values, multiculturalism and non-cultural primary and secondary schools, tackling information disruption and hybrid threats, providing space and visibility of progressive ideas and civil society, contributing to electoral reform, and affirming the census as a statistical rather than a political operation.
In this regard, CIVIL, through the initiative “Make a difference: Respect diversity” called on public figures, artists, activists and intellectuals to speak and write about the richness of our society brought by diversity and European values, such as respect for human rights and freedoms, liberty, equality and justice.
And a reminder, all citizens have the opportunity to get involved in the promotion and practice of European values.
Biljana Jordanovska / CIVIL
