The Conference focused on a wide range of human rights issues. With the adoption of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, the Conference called on Governments to promote and guarantee all human rights and made recommendations to strengthen the methods and mechanisms used by the United Nations in the field of human rights. The Conference was the first of its kind in 25 years and included 171 Member States and 1,000 non-governmental organizations.
Wole Soyinka, a Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and a special guest of the Secretary-General, addresses the Conference.

Rigoberta Menchu of Guatemala, winner of the 1992 Nobel Peace Prize, briefing correspondents a press conference sponsored by the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural).