At the 43rd session of the UNESCO General Conference, a resolution entitled “Cyrus Cylinder: An Early Charter of Human Rights and Cultural Diversity” was adopted.
On November 6, 2025, at the 43rd session of the UNESCO General Conference, a resolution entitled “Cyrus Cylinder: An Early Charter of Human Rights and Cultural Diversity” was adopted.
This resolution was proposed at the initiative of the Republic of Tajikistan and the Islamic Republic of Iran and supported by the member states of the organization.
The document highlights the historical and spiritual significance of the “Cyrus Cylinder” as one of the earliest humanistic texts promoting the values of freedom of conscience, respect for cultural diversity, and peaceful coexistence.
This initiative was put forward in accordance with the instruction of the Leader of the Nation, H.E. Emomali Rahmon, as outlined in the Address of the President of the Republic of Tajikistan to the Majlisi Oli (Parliament) of the Republic of Tajikistan”.
The adoption of this resolution makes a valuable contribution to the strengthening of universal human values, the promotion of mutual understanding among civilizations, and the advancement of intercultural dialogue within UNESCO.
The resolution encourages UNESCO member states to raise public awareness of the Cyrus Cylinder, translate its text into various languages for educational purposes, and use its values to promote peace and cultural coexistence.
It marks the first time an ancient artifact has been formally recognized at the global level as a document associated with the origins of human rights.
The Cyrus Cylinder, a small clay tablet measuring about 23 centimeters in length and 11 centimeters in width, is inscribed in Akkadian cuneiform and housed in the British Museum. It dates back to around 539 BCE, when Cyrus the Great, the founder of the Achaemenid Empire, captured Babylon in present-day Iraq.
The inscription describes how Cyrus defeated Babylon’s king Nabonidus with the favor of the god Marduk and subsequently allowed religious freedom in the city. It records that Cyrus returned displaced peoples to their homelands and restored their temples and deities.
One passage reads: “I commanded that all sanctuaries which had been closed should be opened. I brought back to their places all the gods of these sanctuaries. I gathered all their people and returned them to their dwellings.”
The cylinder remained buried for more than 2,400 years until it was discovered in 1879 by British archaeologist Hormuzd Rassam during excavations in Mesopotamia.
The Cyrus Cylinder, an ancient clay artifact inscribed in Akkadian cuneiform, dates from the 6th century BC. It records the conquest of Babylon by Cyrus the Great in 539 BC and his restoration of religious sanctuaries and displaced peoples. The object was discovered in 1879 in the ruins of Babylon, in present-day Iraq, and is being kept in the British Museum.
