Bergen International Film Festival Reception
Good evening, distinguished guests and participants. I am delighted that we can screen these documentary films on leprosy, or Hansen’s disease, at this prestigious Bergen International Film Festival. I would like to thank all those who have worked so hard to make this possible.
Dear participants, 2023 is a special year. It’s 150th anniversary of the discovery of leprosy bacillus by Dr. Hansen, a great physician, and Bergen’s pride. Thanks to Dr. Hansen’s great achievement, leprosy can now be completely cured by drugs. Today, patients are hardly found in developed countries such as Norway, and the Western countries.
But please do not forget. Leprosy is not a disease of the past. It is still an ongoing disease, and even today the number of newly discovered patients alone amounts to 200,000 each year. Millions more are living with disability due to the progression of leprosy. This I have seen for myself over the past half a century, visiting some 122 countries and traveling through jungles, deserts and solitary remote islands. And above all, the stigma and discrimination due to leprosy, unfortunately, not only remains as severe as before, but it is said that the number of those who have experienced this suffering, persons affected by leprosy, those who are cured, and their family members totals to more than tens of millions. In my view, this makes leprosy one of the oldest and the most serious human rights issue.
I myself began lobbying the then UN Human Rights Commission at the beginning of year 2000 in order to solve the problem of leprosy by addressing it as a human rights issue. In two 2010, a resolution on elimination of discrimination against persons affected by leprosy and their family members with accompanying principles and guidelines was unanimously adopted at the UN General Assembly by then 192 member countries. But this was only the beginning of the journey toward a world free from the discrimination associated with leprosy. While I am making diligent efforts to eliminate the discriminatory laws against the persons affected by leprosy, there are still 24 countries with a total of 130 such laws. There are also reports of discriminatory practices unique to various regions. It is also common for those affected by leprosy to suffer from self-stigma. They ask themselves: “Do I have human rights?”
Despite the fact that leprosy is a massive human rights issue on a global scale, it is buried deep and unnoticed in society. The reality is that most people do not yet know nor understand this grave issue. As part of the activities to raise awareness, the City of Bergen and the University of Bergen held a joint commemorative event to celebrate the discovery of leprosy bacillus this February which was followed by an international conference on Hansen’s disease cohosted by us, The Nippon Foundation and Sasakawa Health Foundation, here in Bergen, in June. And now, I hope the screening of these films at this Film Festival will be an opportunity for many more people to learn and think about leprosy. This event will also give great hope and courage to those of us working to resolve this human rights issue of leprosy.
I am sure that the people of Norway Dr. Hansen’s home country and a leading human rights nation, will renew their awareness of leprosy as a human rights issue. With your cooperation, I truly believe that we will move closer to a world without discrimination against leprosy. Dear participants. A world without leprosy is not an impossible dream. Let’s make the Impossible Possible. Thank you.