September 12, 2008

NEW YORK – A colorful alliance of religious leaders joined in a religious service across from the UN last Sunday, September 7th, carrying the message, as Imam Mohammed Shamsi Ali said, that the violation of human rights is a violation of the laws of God as well as the agreements of Man. Christians, Buddhists, a Rabbi, Scientologists and Hindus joined in the support of vital human rights reforms.

It was a culmination of a three-day series of events organized by Youth for Human Rights International, and co-sponsored by the Church of Scientology Human Rights Department and other groups. Youth delegates from twenty seven nations joined more than 1,000 human rights advocates, religious leaders, governmental officials and artists at the 5th Annual International Human Rights Summit in New York from Sept 5th – 7th.

Sunday's religious service was co-sponsored by the Queens Federation of Churches, the Association of Independent Evangelical Lutheran Churches, the Council of African Imams, and the New Synagogue, among other groups. After a rousing choir opening by the Gospel Knights youth choir:

• Rev. John Carmichael, President of the Church of Scientology, opened the service by equating the need for human rights with the preservation of the God-given essential dignity of the individual.

• Rabbi Joseph Gelberman, a long-time advocate of religious understanding, spoke and sang of the essential one-ness of Man, and noted that human rights violations cannot exist if we "love our neighbors as ourselves."

• Rev. N.J. L'Heureux, Jr., head of the Queens Federation of Churches decried the degradation of men into how much they are worth, and their enslavement by economic means.

• Imam Mohammed Shamsi Ali, of the New York Islamic Cultural Center, brought human rights back to the prerogatives of God.

• Ms. Joan Chen, Vice President of the New York Buddhist Council, spoke of the relationship of peace and rights, while Dr. Ratna Karmakar shared a Hindu viewpoint, and a group of Vietnamese Catholics, Buddhists, and other religious leaders spoke of religious persecution in their country, and urged the implementation of human rights not just for their own people, but for all individuals, everywhere.

• Finally, the Rev. Edward Parkin, of the Church of Scientology International, brought the service full circle, repeating the message of religious solidarity and inviting everyone to sign a proclamation supporting the Universal Declaration – a proclamation which was signed in view of the United Nations building, diagonally across the street from the park.

The service on Sunday was the culmination of a series of events which began at Friday in UN Conference Room One, where a 450-strong, standing-room-only crowd learned first hand what can be done to end human rights abuses and bring about fairness and justice.

Youth for Human Rights International was founded in 2001, when a survey found that over 90 percent of people had not even heard of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Mary Shuttleworth, lifelong educator and President of YHRI, decided to fill this void by teaching youth all over the world regardless of their social standing the text and rights inherent in the Universal Declaration.

Youth for Human Rights International