A/HRC/15/32 nation which is free from egoism and is aware of its duties as well as its rights and does not only take advantage of benefits, but meets the obligations and the risks of solidarity, discovers in itself an unexpected capacity for expansion that enriches its individuality and, at the same time, turns this new capacity into a means of progress for other nations”.1 Many viewed international solidarity as the cornerstone of our responsibility to humanity and entry point for building a better society, and as a glue for social cohesion and guarantee against marginalization, exclusion and excessive disparities. Preserving the order and the very survival of international society should be based on the principle of solidarity and mutual assistance, particularly in the face of natural disasters, poverty, terrorism or postconflict situations. There is a large gap between assertions of international solidarity in theory and their reflection in practice. 7. The view was expressed that the world is driven by the profit motivation of the market, where human values are fast declining, giving rise to inequities within and between countries. On the other hand, a society based on solidarity is rooted in social justice and human dignity, where a person has a value for being, rather than having or producing. The fact that more than 1 billion people suffer from poverty and hunger is an indicator that, as the human race, we are failing to live as one family. The multiple global crises make the relevance of solidarity phenomenal, and present an opportunity for world leaders to recognize international solidarity as an inescapable necessity. Since solidarity has been described as the tenderness of the people, it is a key to the implementation and interpretation of human rights. It entails the negation of selfishness, in favour of a global world vision, across all borders and distinctions, and therefore has no space for discrimination in any form. The universal value of solidarity requires global issues to be addressed collectively in a way that ensures that costs and duties are equitably shared. 8. Some described international solidarity as a superior right that includes or supports all other rights, and as a value embodied in principles that serve the human person, that also contributes to the autonomy, independence, economic and social freedom of less developed countries. International solidarity is seen as a means essential to the international community’s pursuit of peace, sustainable development and the eradication of poverty. In this context, Tunisia took an initiative that culminated in the creation of the World Solidarity Fund, after having given a constitutional character to this principle at the national level. According to one respondent, international cooperation finds its raison d’être in the universal principles of solidarity among peoples, the respect for and protection of human rights, and the pursuit of better conditions for the welfare of all. 9. The global partnership for development can take guidance from the numerous commitments made by States, including at major United Nations conferences and summits, in the economic, social and related fields. Most importantly, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, in its very first article, states that “all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood”. Under article 28, everyone is entitled to a social and international order in which the rights and freedoms set forth in the Declaration can be fully realized; and according to article 29, everyone has duties to the community. The Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action of 1993 identified increased and sustained efforts of international cooperation and solidarity as essential to substantial progress in human rights. In its resolution 8/5, the Council calls for a democratic and equitable international order. In its general comment No. 12, the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights requested States to bear in mind the right to food when concluding international 1 4 P.A. Ramella, “Los principios del derecho internacional público a través de la Carta de la Naciones Unidas”, Revista de Politica Internacional, No. 93, September/October 1967, pp. 65–87. GE.10-14914