domingo, 10 de dezembro de 2006

Human Rights Day

Today we are celebrating the 58.th Anniversary of the

Universal Declaration of Human Rights

adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in Paris.

Federico Mayor Zaragoza

During his 12 years as head of UNESCO (1987-1999) Mayor gave new life to the organization's mission to "build a bastion of peace in the minds of all people", putting the institution at the service of peace, tolerance, human rights and peaceful coexistence, working within the scope of its powers and remaining faithful to its original goals.
Under Mayor's guidance, UNESCO created the Culture of Peace Programme, whose objectives revolve around four main themes:
- Education for peace, human rights, and democracy;
- Fight against isolation and poverty;
- Defence of cultural diversity and intercultural dialogue;
- Conflict prevention and the consolidation of peace.

"We, the peoples, have decided to spare our children the horror of war".

Education, the Cornerstone of Democracy

"First and foremost, we need to ask what democracy actually is. The term democracy is of Greek origin and means 'rule by the people'.

It is the people who rule, the voice of the people is interpreted by the authorities in order to carry out the people's will, not their authority. This is the difference between democracy, autocracy, plutocracy, oligarchy, bureaucracy, technocracy. It is really all the people, the citizens, who rule. And for a democracy to be truly genuine, all the citizens must have the right to express themselves, to participate.

I have backed the concept of the culture of peace and non-violence versus the culture of imposition, of force, which has always been present in our history. Cicero deceived us, because he told us: "Si pace frui volumus, bellum gerendum est" (Philippicæ); "if you want peace, get ready for war" and it is true: we have been getting ready for war, and when you get ready for war, you make war. Now we have realised, albeit very late, that we must get ready for peace, if we want peace, we must get ready for peace.

So we should do away with so much imposing: I'm bigger than you, I'm stronger than you, I'm richer than you, so you must obey me; I'm the boss and you'll do what I say. That must all stop, and we must replace it with a relationship of dialogue, understanding, dissent, discussion.

Human Rights Education

Education, training and information aiming at building a universal culture of human rights through the sharing of knowledge, imparting of skills and moulding of attitudes directed to:
- The strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms;
- The full development of the human personality and the sense of its dignity;
- The promotion of understanding, tolerance, gender equality and friendship among all nations, indigenous peoples and racial, national, ethnic, religious and linguistic groups;
- The enabling of all persons to participate effectively in a free and democratic society governed by the rule of law;
- The building and maintenance of peace;
- The promotion of people-centred sustainable development and social justice.

Do whatever you can to support the universal cause of human rights and Federico Mayor's struggle for an "Alliance of Civilizations".
Together we can make a better world!

RIC

15 comentários:

Jack disse...

If only everybody could want this.

If only everybody listen to this.

If only everybody that govern would remember this.

If only...

Leo Carioca disse...

Isso é o que eu chamo de um trabalho que vale a pena. Não importa quantas barreiras a gente tenha que derrubar pra chegar lá!

Anónimo disse...

Ditto to Joel. However, what you can do it to think globally and act locally. It starts with ones own daily interactions on a moment to moment basis to begint to change the world.

Anónimo disse...

Parabéns, Ric, pelo excelente e oportuno texto.
Bom domingo.

kevin disse...

Human rights and their progression should always be paramount. I still sometimes question whether we have made any REAL advancements! Depending on how you interpret human rights is an important question, for example euphanasia....do we have the RIGHT to determine our own death. Social pressures, for example if a person wants not to work he may be forced to work because society codemns unemployment. And then of course we have the rights of gay people who may be seen as unworthy of marriage. Sometimes i even see aspects of religion hindering human rights and perhaps even advocating that human rights have gone too far.

Kev in NZ

RIC disse...

Hello Joel! I wouldn't say you're wrong, because you're not. But I do say that may not be the best attitude as far as human rights are concerned. That may be why USA republican administrations have been turning this serious matter into a laughable carnival!
Governs will remember if we citizens make them remember! That's what democracy is all about, is it not?
Have a nice Sunday!

RIC disse...

Olá Carioca! Assim é que é falar, como se diz por aqui! Muito obrigado! Trata-se sem dúvida de um processo permanente, de uma construção que nunca fica terminada. Daí que a educação para os direitos humanos deva ser uma prioridade. Se existe globalização para encher os bolsos de uns quantos, então que ela também exista para que aprendamos todos a conviver uns com os outros!
Obrigado!
Um belo Domingo!

RIC disse...

Hello Will! That's precisely why human rights education is a most precious contribution by Federico Mayor to the whole process! We citizens must be aware of what human rights stand for in our daily lives, not when we're sitting before our TV screens and some morons, mainly politicians, show up to tell us human rights aren't observed here and there! They're the first ones who don't observe them. Let's not forget about Guantanamo! That's a repulsive stain on the USA's honour! The Constitution and the Declaration of Independence still mean anything for those politicians? I wonder...
Thank you!
Have a great Sunday!

RIC disse...

Muito obrigado, João! Para ti também, um excelente Domingo!

RIC disse...

Hello Kevin! As I see it, the main problem nowadays is still dependent on making the content of the declaration universal. I believe that should be our main goal. It's not acceptable that there may still be a first class mankind and then a second and a third class mankind...
As human beings we are born equal. But as Orwell put it, some are more equal than others... To solve this problem should be our top priority! That's why education is paramount. This should be a worldwide effort, like the web...
Thank you very much!
Enjoy your Sunday!

Anónimo disse...

E para celebrar o dia, menos um ditador ao cimo da terra. O meu desejo é que nem as minhocas lhe peguem. Pena ter partido sem que a justiça tenha sido feita.

RIC disse...

Olá Karla! Mais uma ironia da História... A verdade é que quase todos os ditadores da América Latina gozaram sempre de especialíssimas protecções, de uma maneira ou de outra...
Bebo um copo a esse teu desejo!
Obrigado!
Beijinhos!

Râzi disse...

Realmente, meu querido, é uma data para se comemorar!!!!

E vc ainda não me mandou aquele e-mail, com as minhas dúvidas!

Eu não quero que vc se mostre aqui! Só para mim está bom!

Beijão!!!

Râzi disse...

AHHHHHH!!!

E eu tenho que comentar!!!

Que foto tesuda de gostosa foi aquela do post anterior!!!

Um deleite!!! E que volume molhado!!! Um delírio!!! Heheheheh!

E meu lindo, eu adoooooro essa música desde a primeira vez em que a ouvi!!! Um clássico!!!

Beijão!!!

RIC disse...

Olá Ricardinho! Que grande euforia, hein? Ainda bem!
Quanto ao e-mail, não te impacientes! Só ainda não tive o tempo suficiente... Mil desculpas!
Pois é, de vez em quando gosto de surpreender os meus leitores com algo especial. Desta vez, achei que o rapazinho poderia muito bem «dar o corpo» ao Luka... Ach que ficou bem!
Concordo contigo: «Luka» é um clássico espantoso!
Obrigado!
Abração!