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.