Church of Scientology Celebrates Diversity Through Human Rights

Volunteers from the Church of Scientology of Melbourne joined in an interfaith celebration of Cultural Diversity Week by promoting human rights awareness.

Commuters passing by Victoria’s Flinders Station during Cultural Diversity Week in March were invited to register their support for the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Volunteers from the Melbourne chapter of Youth for Human Rights (YHR), a diverse group comprised of members of many faiths coordinated by the Human Rights Department of the Church of Scientology of Melbourne, collected signatures on petitions to mandate human rights education in Victoria schools. Youth for Human Rights Melbourne in its work to promote tolerance and human rights awareness, supports Cultural Diversity Week, a celebration of the cultural, linguistic and religious diversity of Victoria, hosted by the Victorian Multicultural Commission (VMC) annually to coincide with United Nations Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination on March 21.

Victoria is a model of diversity. Nearly a quarter of its population was born overseas, and natives of 180 countries call Melbourne home. Some 230 languages and dialects are spoken in the city and 116 religious denominations are represented.

Human rights are key to bridging differences and smoothing the way for diverse cultures to live together in harmony—but only if they are known and understood. Hence the Youth for Human Rights petition drive.

The purpose of Youth for Human Rights International is to teach youth about human rights, specifically the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and inspire them to become advocates for tolerance and peace. Scientologists on five continents engage in collaborative efforts with government agencies and nongovernmental organizations to bring about broad-scale awareness and implementation of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the world’s premier human rights document.

The Church of Scientology published Scientology: How We Help—United for Human Rights, Making Human Rights a Global Reality, to meet requests for more information about the human rights education and awareness initiative the Church supports. To learn more, visit www.Scientology.org/humanrights.

Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard wrote, “Human rights must be made a fact, not an idealistic dream,” and the Scientology religion is based on the principles of human rights. The Code of a Scientologist calls on all members of the religion to dedicate themselves “to support true humanitarian endeavors in the fields of human rights.”