Since 1948, December 10 has been International Human Rights Day, which emphasises the equal fundamental privileges of every individual in society without any gender-based, racial, ethnic, or religious discrimination.

There are different themes every year, and in 2025, the title of the campaign is “Our Everyday Essentials”. The aim of the campaign is to show how human rights shape our daily lives, even if these often go unnoticed. This stands as a reminder that human rights “are about people - about their needs, wants and fears, as well as their hopes and aspirations” as Volker Turk, the High Commissioner for the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR), described the theme of this year.

The campaign emphasises three pillar characteristics of human rights:

Human rights are positive - they bring safety, joy, and happiness into everyday lives. 

Human rights are essential - in today’s unstable world, the right to safety, to speak freely, and to be part of the decision-making about things that affect one’s life.

Human rights are attainable - they begin with an individual’s small, everyday choices, but also with collective actions of communities, nations. 

EUSA stands up for social responsibility, diversity, inclusion, and environmental responsibility through its numerous projects and initiatives, for example, Fit4Green or EUYouSport. The sporting events organised by EUSA are open to all European universities student-athletes, without any discrimination of gender, religion, country of origin, etc.

Doing sports in general is a human right, and it can connect people and create a safe environment for the participants. Disciplines for athletes with disabilities create an inclusive environment where everyone can connect based on their shared interest in sports.

Since 2017, EUSA has been an official member of the Council of Europe, the continent’s leading human rights organisation to help protect, promote and ensure human rights. Emphasising the human right to food and bringing joy to the less fortunate, the EUSA office in Ljubljana joined the Anina Zvezdica (Ana’s Star) initiative to collect food and other essentials for making packages for families in need. 

The “Our Everyday Essentials” theme of the International Human Rights Day in 2025 helps to remind people that human rights start with each and every one of us, and our small choices and acts all help to create a more human and happy world.

For more information about the Council of Europe’s work, please visit https://www.coe.int/en/web/portal/home , while information on EUSA’s various projects can be found at https://www.eusa.eu/projects .