For Immediate Release
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Contact: Josh Moenning
(402) 438-1598
Washington, DC - Yesterday the House of Representatives passed House Concurrent Resolution 332, legislation Congressman Jeff Fortenberry introduced to recognize the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Fortenberry is a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the Subcommittees on the Middle East and South Asia, Africa and Global Health.
“The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was a remarkable achievement given the myriad and diverse makeup of the United Nations,” Fortenberry said. “It enumerates certain transcendent principles that should guide humanity in its quest for justice and peace. Given the extraordinary nature of the document, it is appropriate to draw additional attention to the Universal Declaration’s anniversary.
“The historical backdrop for the Declaration was an international community reeling from a world war, a holocaust, and the first use of atomic power. To cope with this trauma, in 1948 the United Nations General Assembly used the Declaration to call for a common understanding that all human beings are ‘born free and equal in dignity and rights.’
“At this time of international difficulty, we need a renewed sense of awareness of the principles of the Universal Declaration and the events that precipitated them,” Fortenberry said.
Congressman Fortenberry’s full remarks are below:
“Mr. Speaker, I am honored to pay tribute today to a preeminent achievement of 20th Century statesmanship and example of U.S. leadership in the quest for securing fundamental dignity for all human persons. I also want to thank Chairman Berman and Ranking Member Ros-Lehtinen for their work in bringing this resolution before the House.
“On December 10, 1948, the memory of a brutal World War which took over tens of millions of lives, scarred millions of survivors of an unimaginable Holocaust, and unleashed the full fury of atomic power on the guilty as well as the innocent, remained vividly etched in the world’s collective consciousness.
“In view of this unprecedented devastation, and in the hope of preventing future conflict, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as a ‘common standard of achievement for all peoples and nations…,’ and recognized that ‘the inherent dignity and equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice, and peace in the world.’
“As the memory of World War II continues to recede into history, it becomes ever clearer to me that our rapidly changing world appears to be losing sight of guiding principles that have accompanied the promotion of human dignity, peace, and prosperity since the earliest progression of civilization. I also believe we are living in a day when the myriad distractions of modern life in the United States leave precious little time for reflection on the philosophical foundations which have guided this nation through many turbulent times.
“To draw attention to these important principles and to the pivotal role of the United States in bringing the Universal Declaration to fruition, Mr. Delahunt and I were pleased to introduce this resolution to recognize the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
“It is my hope that this effort will serve as a vivid reminder of the profound contributions of the United States throughout our short history as a champion of human rights, the work left to be done, and inspire thoughtful reflection on transcendent principles of human dignity.”
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