London, UK - A European Leadership Conference in London June 15-17 considered "Human Rights and the Protection of the Un-Empowered and the Dispossessed." Three hundred distinguished delegates from many European countries were in attendance.
Human rights issues are a major driving force behind current events. While there were too many issues to cover in a short conference UPF-Europe invited human rights specialists and activists to highlight areas that concern the UPF, the Women's Federation for World Peace (WFWP), and the Ambassadors for Peace network. The spirit of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights resonates very strongly with UPF's and WFWP's sense of the sacred value of humanity, irrespective of a particular individual’s belief or non-belief, as 'one family under God.'
The program convened on June 15 in the House of Lords with speakers including Baroness Sandip Verma (UK government spokesperson for Business, Innovation and Skills), Willy Fautré (Human Rights Without Frontiers International), Keith Best (C.E.O. of Freedom from Torture), Imam Dr. Abduljalil Sajid, and hosted by UPF- UK Patron, Lord Tarsem King of West Bromwich. The second day of the program took place at the Royal National Hotel on Russell Square and explored insights into education for human rights and dignity. A Youth Training Day on June 17 was entitled: Real Rights: Let’s Make Dignity a Reality.
Presentations:
- "Protection of the Unempowered and Dispossessed," by Dr. Sonia Ramzi, former head of the promotion of cultural heritage, UNESCO
- "A New Vision of Human Rights," by Dr. Yong Cheon Song, Chair, UPF-Europe
- "Human Rights and Human Security," by Prof. Akiko Yamanaka, former Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, Japan