 I'm Joshua Cooper. Welcome to Cooper Union. What's happening with human rights around our world on Think Tech Live, broadcasting from a downtown studio in Honolulu, Hawaii, and Moana, New York. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights provides power of ideas to initiate change in the world. The UDHR outlines the opportunities for a new direction rooted in inherent dignity in inalienable rights for dynamic sustainable development and social democracy. The UDHR serves as a foundation for human family built on pillars of mutual respect, multilateralism, peace, and rights. And the UDHR calls for a coalition of conscience centered around trust and transformation while honoring values, voice, and vision. It's an exciting time as the UN is commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights grew out of the most important document known as the UN Charter. And the United Nations Charter was actually adopted in June 26 of 1945. What was so significant about the countries of the world at that time, 50 of them, agreeing in San Francisco on a way forward, creating a charter for humanity, was that human rights was mentioned six times as well as the issue of self-determination. Those 50 countries recognized and realized that every person, no matter where they're born on this planet, has certain inalienable rights. That no matter where you're born, the government has a duty to uphold those rights and that a person is a rights holder and that these important rights really serve us to do two important things. Number one, it's the tools to defend oneself if a government stumbles and does the wrong thing to its own people. It's the tools that allows us to be able to defend our way of life and more importantly, make sure that genocide is not committed. Number two, though, it also said that we all have a very important solemn obligation to one another that no matter where rights are being violated, we must all stand up together to make sure that those rights are not denied to anyone and we recognize the inherent dignity in everyone and diplomatically we strive together to make sure that human rights in a way are floorboard, a bottom that we make sure nothing falls below, but also serves as a horizon for us to aspire towards as we organize together to make sure that we all are able to realize our rights. So it was very important that Spirit of San Francisco in 1945 and one of the important shapers of that important instrument that came out of San Francisco was Eleanor Roosevelt. Eleanor Roosevelt actually chaired the UN commission on human rights from that time in 1945 through 1948 when the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted on December 10th. What's so significant is that it's universal. It's that everyone has these rights, that we make sure that everyone can achieve their full aspiration to actualize all 30 articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and that's what's so crucial. This is call for conscience, centered around trust and transformation and it's important to reflect on the role of human rights in our daily lives and world affairs. What is crucial as we look at the 75th anniversary of the UDHR is that it's for dignity, freedom and justice for all. That is absolutely crucial and important as we look at what we can do. What's important about this celebration on the 75th anniversary is we don't want people just to come together on December 10th. December 10th is a very difficult time for many people. Most people unfortunately eat a huge feast on Thanksgiving and then don't really wake up politically until Martin Luther King Day or many students are focusing on their exams and not thinking of the significance of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights but what the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights is asking each and every one of us on earth is to consider these important 30 articles every day throughout all of 2023. It's also a very significant time. It's the 30th anniversary of the Vienna Convention, the Vienna Conference on Human Rights and that was quite crucial because a couple things happened in that year 30 years ago. What happened was every region met and at that time Asia Pacific region where many of us call home here with Oceania to giant blue continent, what happened there was many governments were trying to say that these are not universal, that they are actually imposed from outside but the people of Asia Pacific stood together in Bangkok and actually said that these are our rights and that what the governments were doing in the name of the people was actually an important violation of this sacred obligation but most importantly these human rights that we all share and people were able to secure the universal element of human rights and make sure that in every region this is what was adopted and when we look at what exists in the UDHR the preamble is so powerful it says 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 that's absolutely crucial it's also says that if man is not to be compelled to have recourse as a last resort to rebellion against tyranny and oppression human rights should be protected by the rule of law and what's really crucial too is it's a foundation for the friend relation between nations so this UDHR is very important and it's a common standard of achievement for all peoples in all nations to the end that every individual in every organ of society must strive to teach and educate about this important declaration in its entirety and that's what's so crucial as we look at the UDHR each one of these 30 articles is essential article one points out that all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights they're endowed with reason and conscience and should act toward one another in a spirit of brotherhood born free and equal in dignity and rights absolutely crucial that we know the moment we're born that we all have these rights and that governments must uphold these rights and we as duty bears are putting the pressure on our states to know that we are the rights holders article two though is so crucial it says everyone is entitled to all the rights in freedom set forth in this declaration without distinction of any kind such as race color sex language religion political or other opinion national or social origin property birth or other status furthermore no distinction shall be made on the basis of the political jurisdictional or international status of the country or territory to which a person belongs whether it be independent trust non-self-governing or under any other limitation of sovereignty so it's pointing out that all these rights are for all of us without any distinction race color sex language religion political other opinion social origin all those aspects maintain that we all have these rights no matter what and this is what matters most as we build this movement for humanity number three is important it says that everyone has the right to life liberty and security of person knowing whether they have that right to life and liberty is absolutely crucial in article four points out that no one should be held in slavery or servitude slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all of its forms that's absolutely crucial if you look at article four because it was coming together to say that at that time this is so important that all of us are free and that no one no entity can hold us back through these acts of slavery and servitude and we must destroy that in any form and this is something we have to work on even today in the 21st century article five points out that no one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment it knew that this act of torture and cruel inhuman or degrading treatment would be used by governments to make sure that it preventing people from achieving all 30 articles and actualizing these articles in their lives so it made sure that article five was making sure that torture was banned and what's so crucial about all 30 of these articles is that they were then developed even deeper into conventions and covenants that then built on these elements of rights in the UDHR pointing out that these rights are customary that they're binding on all people and that's what's so crucial that it's international binding law and that these subsequent nine and ten treaties that then had committees to uphold these rights were guaranteed to all people and that these committees would then meet periodically up to three times a year when countries have ratified these treaties these covenants these conventions to make sure that people are able to defend their rights and demand them and utilize the United Nations treaty bodies to uphold and protect those what's also important though is those treaties then also had general comments that looked at how rights evolved over time and allowed us to understand them at a deeper level and that's what's so crucial to know that these rights in the UDHR became recognized in covenants and conventions and then evolved even further by general comments throughout time and that even optional protocols allow for people to go to these treaty bodies in a way as the world court of public opinion to make sure these rights are upheld and that's article six that everyone has the right to recognition everywhere as a person before the law article seven is all are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection of the law and are entitled to equal protection against any discrimination in violation of this declaration and against any incitement to such discrimination article eight is that everyone has the right to an effective remedy by the competent national tribunals for acts violating the fundamental rights granted by him in the constitution or by law in that state so that means there has to be a national remedy and these global and regional bodies that exist are actually important tools to catch and make sure that if a government is slipping that the people can stand up and demand that their rights are enforced article nine is no one should be held they're subjected to arbitrary arrest detention or exile absolutely essential in ten points out that everyone is entitled in full equality to a fair and public hearing by an independent and partial tribunal in the determination of one's rights and obligations and of any criminal charge against so that's important that there's an independent and impartial tribunal is absolutely essential that one can actually stand up for oneself and when one looks at article 11 it says that everyone charged with a penal offense has the right to be presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law in a public trial which one has had all the guarantees necessary for one's defense and no one should be able to guilty of any penal offense on account of any act or mission which did not constitute a penal offense under national international at the time when it was committed nor shall a heavier penalty imposed than the one that was applicable at the time the penal offense was committed article 12 is so important especially as we look at the world we live in with social media no one should be subjected arbitrary interference with one's privacy family home or correspondence nor to attack upon one's honor and reputation and everyone has the right to the protection of the law against such interference or attacks article 13 is so crucial when we look at the world that we find even with the climate prices it says that everyone has right to freedom of movement and residents within the borders of each state and everyone has the right to leave any country including one's own inter-return to one's country that freedom of movement is absolutely crucial as we look at what's going on and we see what we can do going forward article 14 points out that everyone has the right to seek and enjoy in other countries asylum from persecution and this right may not be invoked in the case of prosecution and generalizing from non-political crimes or from acts contrary to the purposes and principles of the UN that right to be able to seek and enjoy asylum is what many people are doing when they come to this country where their rights are not protected and this was a way to defend people in the course of last resort when they weren't able to defend themselves using these human rights enshrined in the UDHR article 15 is quite crucial that everyone has the right to a nationality and no one should be subjected arbitrarily deprived of one's nationality nor do not the right to change one's nationality article 16 points out that men and women of full age without any limitation due to race nationality or religion have the right to marry and to found a family they're entitled to equal rights as to marriage during marriage and as disillusioned and marriage shall be entered into only with the free and full consent of the intending spouses and the family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society is entitled to protection by society and the state and this of course is crucial as we see many LGBTQIA and sexual orientation and gender identity cases being brought against our brothers and sisters and we can affordly look at this right when we look at article seven it's important building on what article 16 of the right to love get points out that everyone has the right to own property alone as well in association with others and no one shall be arbitrarily deprived of one's property it's pointing out that classical liberal or algorithm that everyone has all of these rights and these rights constitute a society that guarantees the well-being of everyone in each nation and all around the world article 18 is quite crucial in fact it's one of the founding four fundamental freedoms that Franklin Delano Roosevelt recognized in his four freedom speech that he gave to congress on then the legendary january six he talked about it as an economic social and cultural rights in a way a new charter for the conscience of humanity because it said that everyone has the right to freedom from fear and freedom from want but also the freedom of speech and freedom of worship and that's quite crucial article 18 looks at everyone has the right to freedom of thought conscience and religion and this includes freedom to change one's religion or belief and freedom either alone or in community with others and in public or private to manifest one's religion or belief in teaching practice worship and observance article 19 points out that everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression and this right includes the freedom told opinions without interference and to seek receive and impart information and ideas through any media regardless of frontiers article 19 is really defended by many people known as the pen association that's that everyone can pick up and write and share their opinion and expression and to be able to make sure that those opinions can be held without interference and that we can share that information in society and be able to agree and disagree but be able to understand one another's mind to be able to build movements that change the course of humanity and be able in a way in a moment to provide the essence of expression to the global movement for rights article 20 is quite important article 20 points out that everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association and no one can be compelled to belong to an association this is the essence of NGOs non-governmental organizations or civil society associations or nonprofits it means that we can agree of what matters most to us and build a movement based on those beliefs that then inspires one another to get involved to be informed to be able to create initiatives and then shape institutions that make sure that all of our rights are promoted and protected as we go forward and that's quite crucial and we see people coming together to make sure that all of our rights are important and this is really at the core of what we were talking about earlier of when a government slips when a government can even be headed towards genocide that people could stand up together and demand their rights to look at dignity freedom and justice for all and article 21 is very important as we look at the world we live in today it says everyone has the right to take part in the government of one's country directly or through freely chosen representatives that everyone has the right of equal access to public service in one's country and that the will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government and this shall be expressed in periodic and genuine elections which shall be universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret vote or by equivalent free voting procedures we see this as the way to hold governments accountable to make sure that people understand when people vote and give their trust to our public officials that they hold that solemn duty for a set time that it's not for life and that was quite important when we look at that we can look at that in the United States of America where the first president was very much dedicated to the peaceful transfer of power and to look also at that point that every one of us can serve in public office and can be leaders to make sure that we allow all of us to actualize all 30 articles and that genuine elections take place frequently to make sure that the equal right these universal and equal suffrage is guaranteed to all 22 looks at some of the important aspects of what we're looking at looking at beyond the civil and political rights but the economic social and cultural rights it points out that everyone is member of society has the right to social security and set out the realization through national effort and international cooperation and in accordance with the organization resource of each state of the economic social and cultural rights indispensable for one's dignity and the free development of one's personality this really gets into article two of the international covenant economic social and cultural rights that every country has to use its resources to promote the well-being of all people and that it's a progressive realization of each one of these rights so as one country is doing better economically it makes sure it's takes care of all of its people going forward very very important especially as we look at the world we live in that the civil and political rights the right to vote the right to be able to run for office the right to be able to have freedom of expression all those matter but what also is important is the right to education the right to health care the right to housing we realize how both of these civil and political and economic social and cultural rights are really the left and right hands to be able to build the world that we all desire and article 23 is quite crucial it talks about everyone have the right to work to the free choice of employment to just and favorable conditions of work and a protection against unemployment it says that everyone without any discrimination has a right to equal pay for equal work and everyone who works has the right to just and favorable re-uneration ensuring for himself and his family an existence worthy of human dignity and supplement if necessary by other means of social protection we see this through universal basic income and other innovative techniques but also that everyone has their to form a joint trade unions for the protection of one's interests and we know how valuable those are as we look at the conditions around the world to be able to come together and make sure that we don't have inequality in the way that we're all able to actualize these economic social and cultural rights and that our rights to work are respected article 24 is also crucial it points out that everyone has the right to rest in leisure including reasonable limitation of working hours and periodic holidays with pay people understand that there must be rest in leisure and we see people looking at alternatives to the multiple 40 hour plus work week of looking at a four day work week looking at understanding what it really means to live and pursue well-being in our world article 25 points out that everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of one's family including food clothing housing and medical care and necessary social services and the right to security in the event of unemployment sickness disability widowhood old age or other lack of livelihood and circumstances beyond one's control and then motherhood and childhood are entitled to special care and assistance and all children whether born in or out of wedlock shall join the same social protection this is absolutely crucial looking at food clothing housing and medical care necessary social services this is absolutely important because health is well and that's what matters so much in the world that we live in and also to make sure that everyone can begin with a path towards prosperity towards partnership and for peace for everyone on earth article 26 is absolutely essential it's that everyone has the right to education and education shall be free at least in elementary and fundamental stages and elementary education shall be compulsory and technical and professional education shall be made generally available and higher education shall be equally accessible tall on the basis of merit and education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms it shall promote understanding tolerance and friendship among all nations racial or religious groups and shall further the activities of the un for the maintenance of peace and parents have a right to choose the kind of education shall be given for their child and the children also have a choice in this entire process looking at education through the foundation for a bright future and that's what's crucial as we go forward article 27 is that everyone has the right to freely participate in the cultural life of the community to enjoy the arts and to share in scientific advancement and its benefits and everyone has the right to protection of the moral material interests resulting from any scientific literary or artistic production of which one is the author so that's right there that right of culture we know then the summer when everyone gets out and enjoys but the cultural life really does shape and provide beauty to what matters most in our world and article 28 points out that everyone is entitled to a social and international order in which the rights and freedoms set forth in this declaration can be fully realized we see that with the building of human rights cities sparking across countries around the world the idea of national human rights institutions based on the Paris principles that did evolve out of Vienna conference 30 years ago but also the regional commissions and courts the european the inter-american the african the azean and one to hopefully oceania points out that these regional bodies are also quite crucial and builds on of course those 10 treaties that we talked about earlier article 29 points out that everyone has the duties to community in which alone the free and full development of one's personality is possible and in the exercise of these rights and freedoms everyone shall be subject only to such limitations as a determined by law solely for the purpose of securing due recognition respect for the rights and freedoms of others and in meeting the just requirements of morality public order in general welfare and a democratic society that these rights and freedoms may in no way or case be excess contrary to the purposes and principles of the un this is absolutely essential as we look at this foundation as a building bot to respect protect and fulfill all the rights enshrined in the universal declaration of human rights and finally article 30 points out that nothing in this declaration may be interpreted as implying for any state group or persons any right to engage in any activity or to perform any act aimed at the destruction of any of the rights and freedoms set forth here on so these important u d h r is absolutely essential as we see what we can do going forward it is the blueprint for a better world and we thank all of you for joining us and we ask you to celebrate and commemorate each one of these rights daily to make sure we realize rights for all ma alohi and make the pono and join me in commemorating the 75th anniversary of the universal declaration of human rights thank you so much for watching think tech hawaii if you like what we do please click the like and subscribe button on youtube you can also follow us on facebook instagram and linkedin check out our website think techawaii.com mahalo