Commencing today (29th), the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) is launching a month-long poster exhibition titled “The 75th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights” at the Pier-2 Art Center in Kaohsiung. In her opening speech, NHRC Chairperson Chen Chu emphasized that the submissions for this year's human rights poster competition powerfully illustrate the universal principle that “human rights are everywhere.” This theme captures the lasting essence of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), which continues to hold significance 75 years after its inception.
A standout feature of the exhibit is a human rights poster dating back 45 years. Chen shared that this poster was produced in 1978—a time when Taiwan was under martial law and the government prohibited the establishment of political parties. During this period, independent candidates came together to form a support team for the Central Legislative Yuan By-Election on December 23rd, and they crafted this poster to express themes of unity, peace, and human rights.
However, just one week prior to the election, the US declared it was severing diplomatic ties with Taiwan, prompting the government to issue an emergency order to suspend the election and all related activities. Tezuka Toshio, a member of Taiwan Political Prisoner Rescue Association in Japan, discreetly transported the poster to Japan, where it was kept safe for almost fifty years before being returned to Taiwan and donated to the NHRC.
Professor Tsao Chin-jung, a renowned human rights expert from Taiwan who played a key role in retrieving the poster from Japan, was a featured speaker at the event. He commended Kaohsiung for transforming into a dynamic hub for human rights, yet he cautioned the audience about the grim realities faced during martial law, when human rights and the lives of political prisoners were severely suppressed. He emphasized that this exhibition acts as a poignant reminder of that dark chapter in history.
Wang Cheng-chih, an educator at the Ministry of Education's Human Rights Education Center, also spoke at the event. He emphasized that southern Taiwan has historically been a pivotal region for human rights education, with Kaohsiung recognized as the heart of this movement. Human rights conventions are now woven into Taiwan’s national curriculum, and the country regularly achieves high marks in global assessments of civic education. He pledged continued efforts in training human rights educators.
The 2023 Color Our Rights Poster Design Competition was organized to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the UDHR. In its second year, the competition attracted an impressive 915 submissions, with the awards ceremony scheduled for December 10th, Human Rights Day. From these entries, 83 exceptional posters were chosen for display at the Pier-2 Art Center.
The exhibition showcases 83 posters that address a diverse array of topics, highlighting everything from local challenges faced by at-risk communities to significant global human rights issues. Among the featured subjects are the #MeToo movement combating sexual harassment, labor exploitation, the case of Lee Ming-che, the advocacy for free speech by Cheng Nan-jung, the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, and the persistent civil unrest in Myanmar.
Chen reflected on the Kaohsiung Incident, which took place on December 10th, 1979, coinciding with Human Rights Day. This event was pivotal in Taiwan's journey toward democratization. She emphasized that hosting the exhibition in Kaohsiung highlights the bravery and dedication of countless Taiwanese individuals, along with the invaluable support from international allies in Japan and the US who helped advocate for Taiwan’s political prisoners of conscience. She called on the public to value these hard-won human rights and to actively promote the importance of the UDHR in our contemporary society.
The opening ceremony was attended by NHRC Vice Chairperson Tsai Chung-yi, Commissioner Wang Yu-ling, Philippine representatives to Taiwan, President Chen Yueh-tuan of the National University of Kaohsiung, Chunghwa Post (which launched human rights-themed stamps this year), Amnesty International’s Tainan chapter, and other NGO representatives.