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SWATCH Honors Human Rights and new Human Rights Council

Geneva (ots)

SWATCH marked the first session of the Human Rights
Council on June 19th with the launch of the first of a series of
watches, designed to stimulate continuing awareness of human rights.
The blue Human Rights SWATCH watch, launched expressly for the
occasion, features a large number 19 in white. This symbol refers not
only to the historic birthday of the Council, but also to  article 19
of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which addresses the
right to freedom of opinion and expression.
The United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution to create
a Human Rights Council. The first session of the new Council took
place June 19, 2006 at its headquarters in Geneva. Switzerland, which
is pleased to offer the Council a home in this city, was not only an
active participant in the drive to establish the Council, but applied
for membership as well. At the beginning of May 2006, it was selected
for a three-year term on the Human Rights Council.
Partnership between SWATCH and the United Nations
SWATCH has been linked in friendship with the UN for years. In
1992, Nicolas G. Hayek, President and Delegate of the Board of
Directors of the Swatch Group, was one of the first people outside
the world of politics to address the public on environmental issues
in the General Assembly in New York.  At the same time, SWATCH
launched its "environmental protection" watch for the environmental
summit in Rio. In 1995, SWATCH dedicated a model entitled Unlimited
to the 50th birthday of the United Nations, as an acknowledgement of
the UN's past and future work. A portion of the proceeds from the
sales of these two watches have gone to a UN foundation for
environmental, educational and communications projects for youth
around the world.
Human Rights SWATCH watch in UN blue
Given this background, it would seem only logical that SWATCH
would want to pay its respects to the new Human Rights Council. In
agreement with the UN, the company has chosen the historic day of the
first session of the Council to launch both a watch dedicated to the
occasion (developed in concert with the UN), and a series of watches
to follow. The new Human Rights SWATCH watch is a homage to the work
of the UN:  its strap, case, and dial feature the familiar shade of
blue associated with the UN. All other color accents are set in
white, in particular that of the clearly distinguishable number 19,
which is placed in its corresponding minute position. The watch
evokes the birthday of the Human Rights Council, and serves as the
first of a new series to be dedicated to Human Rights issues.
The 19th Article of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,
proclaimed by the General Assembly of the United Nations in 1948,
addresses "the right to freedom of opinion and expression", and the
first Human Rights SWATCH watch is designed to honor this article in
particular. SWATCH plans to introduce further special watches,
focusing on issues covered by other preamble articles and other
important human rights.
Photos will be available at www.photopress.ch.

Contact:

Sonja Wildener
Swatch PR International
Tel. +41/32/343'88'57
Fax +41/32/343'96'69
E-Mail: sonja.wildener@swatch.com
Internet : http://www.swatch.com

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