تصمیم یونسکو: منشور کوروش (Cyrus Cylinder)، یکی از نخستین منشورهای حقوق بشر و تنوع فرهنگی

CYRUS CYLINDER: AN EARLY CHARTER OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND CULTURAL DIVERSITY OUTLINE

Source: 222 EX/Decision 28.I.
Background: This item has been included in the revised provisional agenda of the 43rd session of the General Conference following the decision of the Executive Board at its 222nd session (222 EX/Decision 28.I).
Purpose: The document presents a proposal to recognize the importance of the Cyrus Cylinder’s Charter as one of the earliest known accounts embodying principles later associated with human rights and invites the Director-General to consider the principles enshrined in it to reinforce UNESCO programmes fostering justice, human rights, non-discrimination,
tolerance and intercultural understanding.

Decision required: paragraph 12.
Job: 2500846E۴۳ C/52

BACKGROUND

۱. This year marks the 2,550th anniversary of the promulgation of the Cyrus the Great Cylinder, which many scholars regard as the earliest known charter of human rights.
(www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/W_1880-0617-1941). The Cyrus Cylinder, inscribed in Babylonian cuneiform script, records the reforms of Cyrus, the king of Persia following expansion of his rule over ancient Babylon. It narrates Cyrus restoration of sanctuaries, his liberation of captives, and his recognition of diverse traditions and religions. While deeply rooted in the political culture of its time, the document reflects values of tolerance, freedom, and justice that remain highly relevant today.

۲. The Cyrus Cylinder stands as one of the most ancient, fundamental, and conceptual documents of world civilization, while also serving as a unique historical and legal source for the peoples of West and Middle Asia in the study of early statehood. It embodies the enduring attempt to create governance rooted in spiritual and ethical values accumulated over millennia.
Historical background

۳. The statehood of the Achaemenid rulers was founded upon cooperation among diverse peoples, religions, and cultures. Under Cyrus the Great, the empire expanded from the Mediterranean to Khorezm and from Khorezm to the Indian Ocean, encompassing territories across three continents – Asia, Europe, and Africa. Upon entering the great city of Babylon in 539 BCE, Cyrus the Great issued a decree liberating various peoples. Thousands of captives were thus freed and enabled to return to their ancestral homelands. His vision was not limited to conquest; he sought to establish a model of governance in which diverse peoples could coexist in peace and mutual respect.

۴. The Achaemenid Kingdom, ruled by Cyrus the Great (559–۵۳۰ BCE), embraced more than 70 ethnic and cultural communities. Through his proclamation, which laid down principles of freedom and human dignity, Cyrus protected their rights and freedoms. Within various historic and religious resources including Jewish and Islamic sacred texts, Cyrus has been remembered as a statesman, humanist, and defender of religious freedom, who respected the customs and beliefs of the peoples of his realm.

۵. Discovered in 1879 during British Museum excavations in Babylon (modern Iraq), the Cylinder has become one of the most celebrated icons of antiquity. It is often described as the “first charter of human rights”, symbolizing the recognition of pluralism and religious diversity.

Objectives

۶. The initiative aims to recognize and promote the principals of the Cyrus Cylinder within UNESCO and seeks to:
• Highlight universal values: Present the Cylinder as one of the earliest historical charters embodying principles of tolerance, justice, and respect for cultural and religious diversity.
• Support UNESCO’s mandate: Reinforce UNESCO’s role in promoting peace, intercultural dialogue, and shared heritage as the foundation for sustainable development and peace.
• Contribute to global awareness: Encourage Member States to integrate the legacy of the Cylinder into educational, cultural, and public awareness programmes.
• Demonstrate the relevance of the Cylinder to Sustainable Development Goal 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions) and Goal 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) by promoting inclusive societies and cooperation through culture.

International recognition

۷. The legacy of the Cyrus Cylinder is reflected in its continued relevance:
• International Court of Justice (The Hague): In 2014, a replica of the Cylinder was presented to the ICJ, housed in the Peace Palace, and is on display at the Hague Academy of International Law.
• Tajikistan: Statues of Cyrus the Great are located at the entrance to the National Museum of Tajikistan and in “Baghi Kouroshi Kabir” Park, Dushanbe. In 2019, a military gymnasium named “Varesaan-e Kourosh-e Kabir” (Heirs of Cyrus the Great) was established.
• Iran: The original Cyrus the Great tomb in Pasargadae and a model at Tehran University.
Streets named Kourosh in Tehran and Cyrus in Arak.
• United States of America: Cyrus the Great Charter Memorial in Balboa Park, San Diego.
Streets named Cyrus in multiple U.S. states like New York, California, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, around Washington, D.C. and two in Texas.
• Australia: A bas-relief of Cyrus stands in Sydney Olympic Park. Cyrus Street, Hyams Beach, New South Wails NSW 2540.
• United Kingdom, France, New Zealand, Canada, Philippines, and South Africa also feature places, streets, or artistic works honouring Cyrus the Great.
• Literature: Cyrus has inspired numerous works across centuries. Xenophon’s Cyropaedia (4th century BCE) is among the earliest. Modern works include Songs of Cyrus the Aryan (2011) by Mirza Agha Asgari Mani and historical novels by Tajik writer Baroti Abdurahman (Kurush Kabir, 2006; Cambuja; Great Dara, 2013), reflecting Cyrus’s humanistic and
unifying policies. Iranian scholars: Shapur Shahbazi, Kurosh-e Bozorg, Shiraz, 1970 Ali Mohammad Mozhdeh, Kurosh-e Bozorg va Nokhostin E’lamiyyeh-e Huquq-e Bashar (Cyrus the Great and the First Human Rights Charter), Shiraz, 1971 Hoseyn Badamchi, Farman-e Kurosh-e Bozorg (Cyrus the Great’s Code), Tehran, 2012 Rahim Shayegan (ed.),
Cyrus the Great: Life and Lore. Ilex project, 2019. Czech scholar: Justin V. Prášek, Kyros der Große, Hinrichs, 1912.

۸. This global recognition highlights the universal values embodied in the Cylinder, confirming its status as part of the shared heritage of humanity.

Expected outcomes

۹. The recognition of the Cyrus Cylinder within UNESCO’s framework would result in:
• Strengthened intercultural dialogue by promoting Cyrus’s vision of peaceful coexistence and tolerance among peoples of different faiths and cultures;
• Enhanced awareness of shared heritage, emphasizing the importance of cultural artifacts that embody universal values of humanity;
• Educational and cultural initiatives across Member States inspired by the legacy of the Cylinder, fostering respect for diversity and mutual understanding;
• Promotion of UNESCO’s objectives by linking ancient traditions of ethical governance with contemporary global challenges of peace, justice, and sustainability.

Conclusion

۱۰. The Cyrus Cylinder stands as a bridge between ancient traditions of governance and co- existence based on tolerance and modern principles of human rights and cultural diversity. It reminds us that the pursuit of freedom, justice, and coexistence is not a modern invention, but a legacy deeply rooted in human history.

۱۱. By recognizing the Cyrus Cylinder, UNESCO would reaffirm its mission to promote peace through culture and education, strengthen intercultural dialogue, and safeguard humanity’s shared heritage. Such recognition would ensure that the values proclaimed by Cyrus the Great – freedom, tolerance, and respect for diversity – continue to inspire and guide efforts to build a more just, peaceful, and inclusive world.

Proposed draft resolution

۱۲. In light of the above, the General Conference may wish to adopt a resolution along the following lines:
The General Conference,
Recalling the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, in particular the faith in fundamental human rights and in the dignity and worth of the human person,
Also recalling the Declaration of the Principles of International Cultural Cooperation, adopted on 4 November 1966 by UNESCO’s General Conference,
Noting that culture – in all its forms – must be protected, safeguarded, promoted and transmitted to future generations so as to inspire genuine dialogue among cultures based on respect for their diversity, pluralism, tolerance and mutual understanding aimed at promoting sustainable peace and development,
Reaffirming that civilizational achievements constitute the shared heritage of humankind, providing a source of inspiration and progress for humanity at large,
Acknowledging the Cyrus Charter, carved in the Cyrus Cylinder (the Cyrus Cylinder Charter), as a valuable historical document that embodies one of the world’s oldest models of a state open to different cultures and religions;

Having examined document 43 C/52,

۱. Recognizes the importance of the Cyrus Cylinder Charter (www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/W_1880-0617-1941) as one of the earliest known accounts embodying principles later associated with human rights, exemplifying the importance of historical texts and records in preserving humanity’s shared memory and heritage and fostering intercultural dialogue;

۲. Calls for leveraging the Cyrus Cylinder Charter and the principles it embodies in efforts to build a world based on peace, tolerance and mutual respect;

۳. Invites the Director-General to consider the principles enshrined in the Cyrus Cylinder Charter to reinforce UNESCO programmes fostering justice, human rights, non-discrimination, tolerance and intercultural understanding;

۴. Invites Member States to provide appropriate resources on a voluntary basis for the development and implementation of activities in this field;

۵. Encourages Member States to foster greater awareness of, and access to, the Cyrus Cylinder Charter, through means including multilingual dissemination for educational and knowledge purposes, as one of the earliest expressions of the concept of human rights.