New York: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said that it is time all nations and all people live up to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which recognises the inherent dignity and equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human race.
The UN chief made the remarks in a speech to the General Assembly in New York on Tuesday.
Guterres said while there had been progress since the Declaration's adoption 70 years ago -- for example, in the advancement of the rights of women, children, indigenous people and persons with disabilities -- there was still far to go in ending discriminatory attitudes, actions and practices.
The International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination is observed annually on March 21.
"So, on this International Day, let us all consider how we can better promote tolerance, inclusion and respect for diversity in all nations and among all communities," the UN chief said.
"Let us work to eliminate messages of hatred -- the concept of ‘us' and ‘them'; the false attitude that we can accept some and reject and exclude others simply for how they look, where they worship or who they love."