50th anniversary of rights declaration to be marked in Philly (12/06/98)

50th anniversary of rights declaration to be marked in Philly

PHILADELPHIA - Philadelphians will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights - the original codification of international human rights standards - at an unprecedented town meeting to be held on Thursday, December 10, on the University of Pennsylvania campus. Over 25 local human rights, religious, ethnic, social action and community relations organizations are co-sponsoring the event. Some 32 other cities are conducting similar, contemporaneous events.

The sponsoring organizations in Philadelphia include such traditional human rights groups as Amnesty International USA, the Philadelphia Bar Association's Committee on International Human Rights, the United Nations Association and the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom. But they also include groups whose efforts are aimed against the persecution of Christians and other religious minorities overseas, slavery and trafficking in women, abuse of children, unemployment, restrictive refugee laws, and nuclear weapons.

Two Ukrainian organizations, the Ukrainian Human Rights Committee and the Ukrainian Federation of Greater Philadelphia, are co-sponsors.

Never before have such diverse organizations convened in Philadelphia to speak together about international human rights. The inclusion of the movement to advocate for persecuted Christians within a general human rights event is particularly notable, and will place Philadelphia in the forefront of recognizing that movement.

The program, which will run from 2:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., will feature a live interactive town meeting with similar gatherings in several other U.S. cities, including Chicago and San Diego. It will also feature a live video address from United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan and High Commissioner for Human Rights Mary Robinson. The City of Philadelphia Human Relations Commission will issue a proclamation and a human rights award. In addition, a diverse panel of Philadelphia-area activists will speak and field questions.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights - adopted by the United Nations in 1948 - condemns discrimination, slavery, arbitrary arrest and torture. It also affirms the rights of the world's peoples to the rule of law, fair public trials, privacy, freedom of movement, political asylum, uncoerced marriage, employment, unionization, an adequate standard of living and education, as well as freedom of religion, thought, expression, voting and assembly, among other things.

The Universal Declaration is the standard under which war crimes trials are being conducted relative to the recent atrocities in Bosnia and Rwanda, and under which many other human rights initiatives take place worldwide.

The public is encouraged to attend the December 10 event at Meyerson Hall, 210 S. 34th St. Interested persons should telephone Wayne Jacoby of Global Education Motivators, (215) 248-1150, for further details.

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