On Human Rights Day, the question can be asked: Which weighs more, the achievements or the shortcomings? The Declaration of Human Rights itself is already an achievement of humanity. But from a human and compassionate point of view, the existing deficits are unbearable.
In 1948, the United Nations formulated and adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in the knowledge that “the recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human community is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world”.
The General Assembly saw the Declaration of Human Rights as “the common ideal to be achieved by all peoples and nations. Every individual and all organs of society should “keep this Declaration constantly in mind”.
We know that human rights are realized very unevenly around the world. Large parts of humanity dream of sufficient living conditions, large parts dream of spiritual freedom and many people dream of both. For most of us in Germany, sufficient living conditions and spiritual freedom are a given. However, as part of humanity, we must behave in such a way that we do not hinder but promote the realization of human rights for others. Therefore, we should “keep this Declaration ever present” in our daily lives.
Erwin Kress, Spokesman of the Board of the HVD Federal Association
