A Human Rights Message for the Holidays

Carrying forward a message in the true spirit of the holidays

Adopted by the United Nations in December 1948, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights carried a message born from the ashes of World War II—that respect for the dignity of Man is the foundation of peace. In that spirit, the Church of Scientology Sacramento launched its holiday season this year with a series of events to promote the 70th anniversary of this milestone.

In October, the Church helped organize a series of human rights concerts by the rock group Rock 4 Human Rights—one at the Church, with additional performances at local schools. The band traveled to 30 cities in 30 days, symbolizing the 30 Rights representing each of the articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. In each city, they performed and provided human rights education using the materials of Youth for Human Rights International.

Surveys show most people can name only three of the 30 rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Youth for Human Rights International holds that the first step in guaranteeing these rights for all is raising awareness of what they are. To that end, Youth for Human Rights carried out a week-long campaign in Sacramento, to educate legislators and officials on the need for human rights education and to gain support for legislation to make it mandatory in all California schools.

On December 10, Youth for Human Rights International president Dr. Mary Shuttleworth brought her campaign to the state capitol with a rally promoting Human Rights Day and the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Next was a human rights open house at the Church of Scientology to introduce the community to the many tools available to bring human rights to life for people of all ages.

The Church of Scientology and Scientologists support United for Human Rights. The Church makes these human rights educational materials available free of charge to educators, mentors, community programs and individuals seeking to make this world a better place. United for Human Rights has grown into a truly grassroots movement—the world’s largest nongovernmental human rights education campaign, reaching out in 195 countries in 27 languages and embraced by thousands of activists, officials, groups and organizations.