12/10 Human Rights Day

Written on: December 10, 2013

Sixty-three years ago, in 1950, the UN General Assembly proclaimed 10 December as Human Rights Day to bring to the attention ‘of the peoples of the world’ the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as the common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations.

This year, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights marks 20 years since its establishment.

The United Nations General Assembly created the mandate of High Commissioner for the promotion and protection of all human rights in December 1993. The General Assembly was acting on a recommendation from delegates to the World Conference on Human Rights held in Vienna earlier the same year.

It is easy to connect the celebration of Human Rights Day with the great human rights activist, Nelson Mandela whose death the world both morns and celebrates. Below is a prayer from Education for Justice in memory of Nelson Mandela called The Long Walk. Perhaps it speaks to all of us of our own personal walk to freedom.

Pace e bene,

Sister Diane

This entry was posted in With a Heart for Justice and tagged: Human Rights, Nelson Mandela, United Nations