Canadian Tribute to Human Rights, Human rights monument in downtown Ottawa, Canada
The Canadian Tribute to Human Rights is a granite and concrete monument in downtown Ottawa at the intersection of Lisgar and Elgin streets. The structure displays text in both English and French, with words on granite plaques throughout its form.
The monument opened in 1990 as the first global memorial dedicated to universal human rights. A commemorative plaque was unveiled there in 1998 to honor John Peters Humphrey, who drafted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Words like Equality, Dignity, and Rights appear in 73 Indigenous languages from Canada on granite plaques throughout the structure. This linguistic diversity shows how different communities understand and express human rights concepts.
The monument sits at a central intersection, making it easy to reach and visible from multiple angles. It serves as a natural gathering place for public events and demonstrations.
The Dalai Lama performed the dedication ceremony, making it the only monument of its kind with such a significant spiritual inauguration. This connection between spiritual understanding and secular human rights creates a rare symbolic depth at the site.
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