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Peace Education
Forum on the Role of Human Rights in Promoting Peace
Written by Christopher Davies, UPF - Netherlands
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Amsterdam, Netherlands - We need to see, respect, and relate to people as individuals, not as persons of a particular race, religion, culture, social standing, or any other group, according to human rights educator Dr. Eva Latham. She acknowledged that it is very difficult to remember that we are first of all people.
Dr. Latham, a social scientist, author, management consultant, and President of Human Rights International, was speaking on “Human Rights: The Only Way to World Peace! Why?” at a November 26 seminar at the UPF-Netherlands Dialogue Center in Amsterdam.
The bad news was that it is still so easy to stereotype groups of people, as can be seen every night on television. People in the Netherlands take pride in their tolerance, but she cited examples where this was sorely lacking: in particular, the blanket criticism of Muslims by Theo van Gogh and Ayaan Hirsi Ali. But the good news was that we could be sitting in this room with people of all sorts of backgrounds, meeting and greeting each other with respect, as she had observed when she arrived.
Most people have no idea about the origin of the modern concern for human rights. Dr. Latham explained about creation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, initiated by Eleanor Roosevelt and adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on December 10, 1948. She handed out copies of the declaration and then read and commented on particular passages. She asked that as our homework after the evening we all reflect on how we as individuals view the people we meet and that we publicize Human Rights Day, December 10.
One participant in particular, herself a sociologist, said she felt Dr. Latham was suggesting that we ignore a person's cultural background, which is in fact a major element in a person's make up. This led to much discussion, which continued during the refreshments after the talk. One point that Dr. Latham made in response was that you can speak with a person, but not a culture.
Her appeal that we put aside prejudice, during which she praised UPF Founder Rev. Moon's blessing in marriage of people from differing backgrounds, was unarguable, and a number of participants expressed their support, one commenting that Dr. Latham must face much prejudice in her work to educate people in the corporate world (she talked of Armani-suited people often not seeing the human value of others less expensively dressed). However, some felt that in rejecting the significance of a person's cultural background she might be 'throwing out the baby with the bath water,' that one might even become as prejudiced as the people she asserted were prejudiced.
In thanking Dr. Latham, Wim Koetsier acknowledged her strong commitment, not always 'normal' in the Netherlands. He also mentioned that November 26 was a special day in the annals of human rights, On that day in 1940, a Dutch professor of law at the University of Leiden, Rudolph Pabus Cleveringa, had given a public speech protesting Nazi German persecution of his Jewish colleagues. He was imprisoned as a result. His action is commemorated and celebrated in the Netherlands every year.
UPF-Netherlands is proposing that school children receive education in human rights and responsibilities and that when they reach 14, the age at which they receive Identity Cards and can obtain a passport, they should also pledge to uphold and defend universal human rights and the Dutch constitution, just as immigrants to the Netherlands being granted citizenship.
Rev. Moon had been refused entry into the Netherlands and other European countries for a number of years, until, after a long legal battle, the ban was overturned. The Netherlands likes to talk about principles, but other considerations often overrule those principles.
Two students in the audience said they had found the evening a valuable addition to their social studies.
A yahoo group has been created to continue the discussion of issues raised during this seminar. To join the conversation, click here.
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