Press Release No:18/39
10 December 2018
Brussels

The Conference of European Churches commemorates today the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) adopted by the United Nations in Paris on 10 December 1948.

The CEC Governing Board with the Executive Committee of the Churches’ Commission for Migrants in Europe marked this occasion recently by issuing a statement All are born free and equal. “This historic milestone in international human rights law continues as a source of inspiration for states and people in the fight for the dignity of all,” reads the statement.

“The 70th anniversary of the declaration reminds us that human rights are universal, belonging to every human being. This same yearning is found throughout the deep and rich traditions of Christianity. The opening passages of our Holy Scriptures affirm this equality in dignity and support the idea of rights that all enjoy by virtue of their common humanity as all are made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27),” it reads.

In this statement, the CEC Governing Board “joins with all people of goodwill in working to promote, engage, reflect on, and advance the achievements of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. We recall in all our work, as simply stated in Article 1, ‘All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and right’.”

The CEC statement also put emphasis on freedom of religion or belief in Europe and beyond, as well as migrants and refugees. “Our human rights horizon also extends beyond European borders, with repeated calls for migrants and refugees to have safe passage and warm welcome here. Human rights exist for all humanity and can only be effectively advanced when we see ourselves as part of this bigger picture,” read the statement.

CEC is deeply committed to the promotion and protection of human rights and dignity. In this area, CEC recently produced a short documentary Justice for Spanish Pastors, shedding light on the case of Protestant pastors seeking justice and equal treatment in Spain. Another documentary released by CEC is Standing UP for Minority Rights, where young adults of the Serbian minority in Croatia and of the Croatian minority in Serbia met and visited the European institutions and their representatives.

CEC’s work in its various programmatic areas - economy, social equality, climate change, bioethics, digitalisation, theological and inter-religious dialogue - is closely related to an understanding of human dignity inspired by the Gospel, and the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Full text of the public issues statement: All are born free and equal

For more information or an interview, please contact:

Dr Erin Green
Communication Coordinator
Conference of European Churches
Rue Joseph II, 174 B-1000 Brussels
Tel. +32 2 234 68 42
Fax +32 2 231 14 13
E-mail: eeg@cec-kek.be
Website: www.ceceurope.org
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ceceurope
Twitter: @ceceurope