The Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Today marks the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the United Nations.

The UDHR was written in a time when the world still recoverd from WW2, in a time when the world still believed this was the last war which would ever happen, when there was hope and a humatarian spirit was to be felt all over the western world.

Today this declaration turns 60. Lots of newspapers write about this anniversary and still: who actually read the declaration? Have YOU ever read it?

A few days ago I sat down thinking about this anniversary and wondering how "modern" the declaration could be? It was written 60 years ago, in a different time, a different atmosphere. Could it be as true and important now as it was back then?

I had read it before, several years ago and every so often I look something up in this declaration but this was the first time I really sat down, read all of it and tried to understand how trying to re-feel the spirit which moved the signers of it to write it. An interesting experience.

So today I don't want to put any long texts on this blog but I want to offer the link to this declaration to you and invite you to read or re-read it and find out what it means for you and how it makes you feel:

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights


This is an exact copy of the cover of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which was placed in the Cornerstone of the United Nations Headquarters Building by Trygve Lie, Secretary-General of the United Nations, at the time of the Cornerstone Ceremony which was held at 12 noon, October 24th, 1949, at a special meeting of the Fourth Regular Session of the General Assembly, at the Headquarters site on 42d Street, New York.