UNITED NATIONS A General Assembly Distr. GENERAL A/HRC/RES/12/21 12 October 2009 Original: ENGLISH HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL Twelfth session Agenda item 8 FOLLOW-UP TO AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE VIENNA DECLARATION AND PROGRAMME OF ACTION Resolution adopted by the Human Rights Council * 12/21. Promoting human rights and fundamental freedoms through a better understanding of traditional values of humankind The Human Rights Council, Guided by the purposes and principles set forth in the Charter of the United Nations, Reaffirming the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and that everyone is entitled to the rights and freedoms set forth therein, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status, Guided by the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, which reaffirms, inter alia, the solemn commitment of all States to fulfil their obligations to promote universal respect for, and observance and protection of, all human rights and fundamental freedoms for all in accordance with the Charter, other instruments relating to human rights, and international law, and that the universal nature of these rights is beyond question, Reiterating that all human rights are universal, indivisible, interrelated, interdependent and mutually reinforcing, and that all human rights must be treated in a fair and equal manner, on the same footing and with the same emphasis, and that, while the significance of national and * The resolutions and decisions adopted by the Human Rights Council will be contained in the report of the Council on its twelfth session (A/HRC/12/50), chap. I. GE.09-16724