UN Resident Coordinator in Bangladesh Mia Seppo said human rights, films and youth together is a fantastic combination. "Films and art can put spotlight to the issues that needs to be heard.” 

They were addressing a panel discussion on promoting and protecting human rights through film and other media celebrating the 70th anniversary of the UDHR.

The discussion was moderated by Abdul Quayum, Associate Editor, Prothom Alo.

The United Nations in Bangladesh in association with Dhaka University Film Society (DUFS), with support from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and the German government, organised the two-day "Human Rights Short Film Festival 2018" that ended on Sunday at Bangladesh Shishu Academy.

Mostafa Sarwar Farooki, filmmaker; Sanjeeb Drong, Representative of Bangladesh Human Rights Forum; Aung Rakhine, filmmaker; and Rashedul Hafiz, lifetime member of Dhaka University Film Society (DUFS); also graced the closing and the award giving ceremony of the film festival. 

The theme of the festival was “Finding Bangladesh and South Asia in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 70 years later”.

Renowned filmmaker Mostafa Sarwar Farooki stressed on giving equal emphasis to protect everyone’s human rights. 

He said, “When it comes to protect and promote human rights, we should not be selective. We can truly avoid being selective about protecting human rights, we can change society as a filmmaker.”

Some 735 short films on human rights from 82 countries were submitted for the Human Rights Short Film Festival 2018.

The films that have been screened at Human Rights Short Film Festival 2018 reflect a commitment to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. 

Besides short film screening, a play on human rights titled “We sing equality” was performed on the festival.