SWAMI BRAHMA SWARUPANANDA

HUMAN RIGHTS Day is observed annually on December 10 (Thuesday). On this day in 1948 the United Nations General Assembly ratified the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), a groundbreaking global agreement proclaiming that all human beings have inalienable rights regardless of race, colour, religion, sex, language, political opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.

The theme of this year's Human Rights Day is 'Equality - Reducing inequalities, advancing human rights.' No one 'earns' human rights; everyone is born with their rights intact and unless we recognise the uniqueness of each individual there can be no human rights. True equality is impossible because everyone is unique. Their uniqueness is a great quality of being human and it therefore makes equality a great goal of human rights.

During this postmodern period there is a great need for a symphony of humanism. Presently, the protection of ecology, development of economics and evolution of consciousness depend on human rights and only through these ideals can a common future or sustainable development be achieved. We now have to take a quantum leap in instructing the new generation to not only live but also to make a valuable and happy life on this Earth through human rights.

Human rights encompass many ideals including the right to life, freedom from torture and inhumanity, equal justice or treatment before the law, privacy, asylum or protection, marriage and family life, freedom of thought, opinion and expression, working in favourable conditions, education and social services.

Over time the idea and ideals of human rights have been propagated by many great personalities:

Mahatma Gandhi

Gandhi's influential ideas strengthened the adoption of the UN charter. His central, significant concepts including

satyagraha, education, unity and truth served as the basis for the ideals of human rights and multilateralism, truth and unity. In solidarity for human rights, Gandhiji advocated service to community as service to God and that love, universal brotherhood, freedom, justice and equality should be entitled to all peoples.

Albert Einstein

Einstein had no doubt that Gandhi's strategies and his personal example for human rights would definitely inspire men all over the world for many generations. He himself experienced anti-Semitism as a Jew in Germany, and when he escaped to America he showed great sympathy for those who were oppressed at that time. Einstein became very entrenched in America's civil rights movement where he helped fight the injustices he witnessed and advocated for universal liberation.

Nelson Mandela

Mandela was one of the world's foremost advocates for human rights. In terms of adopting human rights, Mandela stated, 'Thus shall we live, because we will have created a society which recognises that all people are born equal, with each entitled in equal measure to life, liberty, prosperity, human rights and good governance.'

After his 27 year