2008-12-13 13:18:55

Archbishop Silvano M. Tomasi, at the Human Rights Council, Geneva


(December 13, 2008) Human rights have an indispensable social role. They remain “the most effective strategy for eliminating inequalities between countries and social groups, and for increasing security.” For the protection of individuals and society, the Holy See incessantly has reaffirmed the centrality of human rights and the role of the United Nations Organization in upholding this common patrimony of the human family, said Archbishop Silvano M. Tomasi, Apostolic Nuncio, Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations in Geneva at the Human Rights Council, on the 12th of December in Geneva at the Human Rights Council. He said that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) is a memorable moment in the history of human coexistence and a great expression of a universal juridical civilization founded on human dignity and oriented toward peace. With this document, human dignity finally is recognized as the essential value on which rests an international order that is truly peaceful and sustainable, he added. The Archbishop then said that The Holy See celebrates the 60th Anniversary of the UDHR, first, by recalling the great sense of unity, solidarity and responsibility that led the United Nations to proclaim universal human rights; then, it has promoted events, educational programs, assistance initiatives worldwide, in particular for children, women and vulnerable groups; and thirdly, it has highlighted once more the fact that human rights are at risk if not rooted on the ethical foundation of our common humanity as created by God who has given everyone the gifts of intelligence and freedom. The Prelate continued that in a world of too many hungry people, too many violent conflicts, too many persons persecuted for their beliefs, every human being he said “is entitled to a social and international order in which the rights and freedoms” set forth in the UDHR can be fully realized. Every human being has the right to an integral development and “the sacred right” to live in peace, he said.







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