Hickory – Human Rights Day (December 10) was formally established by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly in 1950 to celebrate the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) in 1948, but the UDHR has been recognized as the first global enunciation of human rights since it was proclaimed by most of the member nations in the aftermath of the Second World War.
The principles of equality and non-discrimination that are at the heart of the UDHR, and human rights in general, are the theme for Human Right Day this year, and the Catawba Valley Interfaith Council (CVIC) will host its annual celebration with this theme at Temple Beth Shalom in Hickory on December 10 at 7 PM. Masks and social distancing are required, and the group requests that only those who are fully vaccinated attend the in-person event. However, their celebration will be live streamed, and the recording will be made available on the group’s website and Facebook page following the live event.
The group’s speaker this year is Rev. Joe Hoffman, a retired United Church of Christ pastor from Asheville and an advocate for social justice issues. Rev. Hoffman will address Article 1 of the UDHR, which states that “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights” and “are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.”
CVIC is a local not-for-profit organization of faith-based and secular communities in the Catawba Valley serving as a catalyst for hope and cooperating for the purpose of dialogue, information sharing, and celebration. Their purpose is to create a more compassionate community and honor the rich diversity of religious, spiritual, and secular traditions in the community. The public is invited to celebrate Human Rights Day with them as well as support this historic milestone in human rights.
Photo: Children from the United Nations International Nursery School look at a poster of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. (1950): UN Photo (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0).
