Human Rights Day speech template
Published 10 October 2026 · Date checked on 5 October 2026 · Written by the Cue Card Converter team at EventProgrammer, event production professionals
Human Rights Day is observed on 10 December, the anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the United Nations General Assembly in Paris in 1948. In thirty articles, the Declaration sets out rights and freedoms that belong to every person, whoever they are and wherever they live. The day is marked with lectures, readings, exhibitions and educational events in schools, universities, workplaces and communities around the world.
- Date
- December 10
- Next dates
- Thursday 10 December 2026
Friday 10 December 2027
Sunday 10 December 2028 - Observed
- Internationally
- Tone
- Awareness
- Typical events
- University lectures, school assemblies, legal and civil society gatherings, embassy and city hall receptions, libraries, museums and workplace inclusion events.
- Length
- 207 spoken words · about 1.5 min at 130 words a minute · 5 cue cards
The Human Rights Day speech, ready as cue cards
A complete host script in 5 cards, about 1.5 minutes of speaking. Open it in the editor to add your names, change the card size or highlights, and print.
- WELCOME1 / 5
Good evening, and welcome to {Venue}. I'm {Your name}, and I'll be your host tonight. We're here to mark Human Rights Day, a day that belongs to everyone in this room, whatever our background, beliefs or first language. - WHERE IT BEGAN2 / 5
On 10 December 1948, meeting in Paris, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Its first article says that all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. Those words were written for every person on earth, without exception. - VOICES FROM THE DECLARATION3 / 5
The Declaration has 30 articles. Tonight, some of you will read a few of them aloud, each in your own voice and, if you wish, in your own language. As you listen, notice the rights we often take for granted.
[READERS PRESENT SELECTED ARTICLES] - INTRODUCING OUR SPEAKER4 / 5
To help us think about what these rights mean in daily life, please welcome {Guest speaker, title}, who works on {Area of expertise} and joins us tonight to share that experience.
[SPEAKER TO LECTERN] - CLOSING5 / 5
Thank you to our readers and to our speaker. Rights are protected by laws, but also by everyday choices: how we speak to each other, who we include and whether we speak up when someone is treated unfairly. Copies of the Declaration are on the table by the door. Good night.
Red is used only for names, titles, organisations, dates, times and section headings. Replace the words in {curly brackets} with your own details; lines in [SQUARE BRACKETS] are stage directions and are not read aloud.
How to adapt it
- Keep the focus on the Declaration's principles, not on particular governments, parties or current disputes. Some guests may have personal experience of rights being denied, so keep the tone respectful.
- Choose and time the articles in advance. The Declaration is available in hundreds of languages on the UN human rights office website, so multilingual readings are easy to prepare.
- The UN usually highlights a theme for the day. If you mention it, check the current official wording, as it changes every year.
- Printed copies of the Declaration, or a QR code linking to the full text, give guests something to take away and turn the evening's message into something practical.
Print and rehearse
“Edit and print these cards” opens the script in the free cue card maker, where you can choose A5, 4 × 6 or 3 × 5 inch cards, print several per sheet with cut lines or export PDF, PowerPoint and Word, and rehearse full screen in practice mode. To write your own programme around it, see how to write an MC script and the run of show template.
Sources
Date and background checked on 5 October 2026 against: List of International Days and Weeks | United Nations. Customs vary between organisations and regions; always follow the official programme of your event.
More international days
- International Women's Day · March 8
- World Book and Copyright Day · April 23
- World Environment Day · June 5
- International Day of Peace · September 21
- World Teachers' Day · October 5
- World Children's Day · November 20