Scientology Volunteers Gather Signatures on Human Rights Petitions in 21 Countries

On United Nations Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, Scientologists call for mandatory human rights education to promote peace and tolerance

LOS ANGELES—Volunteers from Churches of Scientology in 21 countries including Denmark, France, Australia, South Africa and Canada gathered signatures on human rights petitions March 21, on United Nations International Day for the Elimination of Discrimination. The petition drives were done to gain support for mandatory human rights education, and to bring about realization of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights statement that “…recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world.”

The Declaration was ratified by the UN General Assembly more than 60 years ago, yet racial and ethnic conflicts fuel wars throughout the world. The Scientologists say the answer is in human rights education.

The United Nations International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination is held each year on the anniversary of the day in 1960 when police opened fire in Sharpeville, South Africa, on a crowd of unarmed Black South Africans, killing 69 civilians who were protesting the repressive apartheid laws.

In a speech marking the 50 years since the Sharpeville tragedy, UN Secretary General Ban Kid-moon said, “The United Nations marks the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination on this solemn anniversary to reaffirm our commitment to guard against a repeat of the horrors rooted in racism - from slavery to the Holocaust, from apartheid to ethnic cleansing and genocide.”

In addition to petition drives, Churches of Scientology partner with Youth for Human Rights International (YHRI) to carry out a human rights awareness campaign to educate people of all ages on human rights.

“Most people don’t know the rights covered in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,” said Tracie Morrow, Youth Coordinator for the Los Angeles-based Church of Scientology International Human Rights Office.

“Without an understanding of these rights as covered in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights people will not demand their own rights, let alone defend the rights of others. Through human rights education we have found young people become much more tolerant and understanding and many are inspired to become human rights advocates,” said Morrow.

The Church of Scientology has championed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights for more than 50 years and sponsors the largest non-governmental information campaign to make the Universal Declaration of Human Rights known the world over. The Church’s human rights initiative sponsors groups and activities and provides its materials to individuals, groups and government agencies in 82 nations. For more information on the human rights initiative of the Church of Scientology visit the Scientology website.

^{"You may have been taught that the mind is a very difficult thing to know about. This is the first principle of Scientology: It is possible to know about the mind, the spirit and life."—L. Ron Hubbard}