The Vienna Forum reacted with great concern to the war of aggression led by Russia in Ukraine, the Hamas massacre in Israel and Israel’s subsequent warfare in the Gaza Strip, but also to other civil wars and armed conflicts. In view of all these serious violations of international law, the anniversary year of human rights – 75 years of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the UN Genocide Convention as well as 30 years of the Vienna World Conference on Human Rights, among others – took a back seat, although it is to be feared that the current conflicts will bring further wars, terror and substantial threats to democracy, the rule of law and human rights. The coming year will bring serious political changes at European and national level, making it all the more important to continue our work on developing instruments to safeguard and implement democracy, the rule of law and human rights.