DIGNITY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL OF US has been the theme of Conferences, Seminars, Symposia, Exhibitions and several different other activities all over the world to celebrate the year of the 60th anniversary of the proclamation of the UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS by the United Nations.

The anniversary is today - December 10th 2008.

And now, sixty years after the Declaration was proclaimed, the High Commissioner of the United Nations for Human Rights, Navanethem (Navi) Pillay states on December 9th 2008 [my bold]:

Tens of millions of people around the world are still unaware that they have rights that they can demand, and that their governments are accountable to them, and to a wide-ranging body of rights-based national and international law. [...]
For this reason, I warmly welcome the fact that next year has been designated the International Year of Human Rights Learning. And I would like to encourage ministries, institutions, teachers, parents and others in a position of responsibility all across the planet to take this opportunity to ensure that the next generation is given the maximum opportunity to claim what was promised to them in that extraordinary document known as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

See also the post about HUMAN RIGHTS.

[Portuguese post on Dec 9th, 2008]

Category: THE UNIVERSAL TEXTS

We think that today, December 10th 2006, is a day in which we can do something for them [THE ANIMALS]. The change in their situation is all up to us, because, unfortunately, they cannot do it, they cannot be here today because they are confined in “farms”, “fishing farms”, labs, slaughterhouses or lorries leading them towards these places. They are being mutilated, separated from their families, murdered, in sum up massacred. They cannot claim what is fair for them with their own voices, but we can do it. We are not going to die if we speak up for them, but they are definitely going to die if we don’t speak out loud against their slavery.
Excerpt from the Animal Equality manifesto for International Animal Rights Day (my bold).

IMPORTANT NOTES:

1 - On March 9th, 2008 España Liberal states: Centroamericana Art Biennial - MURDER AS AN ART FORM. Centroamericana Art Biennial: they kill dogs - (unfortunately only available in Spanish) Bienal Centroamericana de Arte - EL ASESINATO COMO ARTE. Bienal Centroamericana de Arte: matan perros.

2 - There is an ongoing on line petition against the participation in the Centroamericana Biennial Honduras 2008 of Habacuc, Guillermo Vargas, who was the author of a MAQUIAVELLIAN performance in the Costarricense Visual Arts Biennial (Bienarte) 2007 - the murder of a dog during an art exhibition:
During the exhibition some people asked for the dog to be released, but the artist denied it. The name of the dog was Natividad [Spanish for Birth], and he was left to die of hunger to the view of everyone, as if the death of a poor dog was a shameless mediatic show in which nobody does anything else than to applaud or to watch astonished.

PLEASE READ, SIGN UP AND TELL YOUR FRIENDS about this petition! Let's boycott the 'art' of Habacuc!

3 - With a special salute to the Blog Zoo.

UPDATE on April 3rd, 2008: there is explicit and detailed information on the blogs Remember Natividad (includes the English translation of the Petition text and a letter addressed to the Minister for Arts and Culture of Costa Rica, March 21st, 2008) and Soy donde no Pienso (this one in Spanish), which I recommend.

ADDENDUM on November 25th, 2008: on this subject, the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) says - No excuses for cruelty.
The petition achieved more than 4 000 000 signatures, but Habacuc was nevertheless admited in the Biennial.
The message from the petition's author, Mr Jaime Sancho, on Nov 13th 2008: My gratitude - Many thanks to you all.

[Portuguese post on April 1st, 2008]

Category: THE UNIVERSAL TEXTS

Dec. 2008: Image down to 20% of ORIGINAL SIZE (click to see). Comments closed.

- BUT SOME OF THEM ARE SPECIALLY SPECIAL.

From the Declaration on the Rights of the Child
(proclaimed by the United Nations at November 20th, 1959):

Principle 5. The child who is physically, mentally or socially handicapped shall be given the special treatment, education and care required by his particular condition.

NOTE: This post was because of a call to read, sign and spread the word about a petition to improve the Portuguese Law (Decreto-Lei 3/2008, January 7th 2008), concerning children with special education needs.
The petition reached more than 14 000 signatures (April 16th, 2008).

[Portuguese post on Mar 6th, 2008]

Category: THE UNIVERSAL TEXTS

Dec. 2008: Image down to 20% of ORIGINAL SIZE (click to see). Comments closed.

An international Petition to achieve a Universal Declaration on Animal Welfare at the United Nations is on line.

Wading birds, probably of the genus Calidris (Winter plumage), at the Tamariz Beach, Estoril - Cascais.

.

The Petition for a Universal Declaration on Animal Welfare has one strategic goal - global recognition that animals are sentient beings, capable of feeling pain and suffering and has already reached 1 million signatures (www.animalsmatter.org).

NOTE: Some nowadays examples of cruelty towards animals are exposed in different web sites such as:

- WSPA, World Society for the Protection of Animals.

- Whale Watch, it's Time to Watch their Welfare - a coalition of non-governmental organizations led by WSPA in order to raise public awareness of the inhumane methods used to kill whales.

[Portuguese post on Feb 24th, 2008]

Category: THE UNIVERSAL TEXTS

Dec. 2008: Images down to 20% of ORIGINAL SIZE (click to see). Comments closed.

From the CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD:

[Proclaimed and adopted by the United Nations on November 20th 1989. Effective in the portuguese law since October 21st 1990]

States Parties shall take all appropriate legislative, administrative, social and educational measures to protect the child from all forms of physical or mental violence, injury or abuse, neglect or negligent treatment, maltreatment or exploitation including sexual abuse [...]. (excerpt, Article 19 §1.)

Flowers of Brachychiton acerifolium, Esterculiaceae family, mid Jun - Botanic Garden of the National Museum of Natural History - Lisbon, Portugal.

NOTE: Portuguese criminal court of law suspended the punishment of people charged of sexual abuses on children (during the year of 2004 - 147 guilty as charged, 61 in prison, 86 free). SHAME ON JUSTICE!

[Portuguese post on Jan 28th, 2008]

Category: THE UNIVERSAL TEXTS

Dec. 2008: Image down to 20% of ORIGINAL SIZE (click to see). Comments closed.

From the United Nations Environment Program (environment for development), the

Declaration of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment (adopted and proclaimed at Stockholm - Sweden, June 1972).

In Portugal, the Environment Bases Law (Lei de Bases do Ambiente nº 11/87), April 7th 1987, in accordance with the Constitution of the Republic, states as follows:

The environmental policy aims to optimize and guarantee the continuity of the natural resources' utilization, both in quality and quantity, as the basic presumption towards a self sustainable development. (Article 2. §2).
It looks like our governors have all forgotten about it!

[NOTE: Because of some html limitations, it is not possible to insert a direct link to the UNEP's Declaration web page. Here is the full document].

[Portuguese post on Jan 22nd, 2008]

Category: THE UNIVERSAL TEXTS

Dec. 2008: Comments closed.

- from the United Nations Charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (*) was adopted and proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly on December 10th, 1948.

(*) Included in the Portuguese law (Diário da República nº 57/78) on March 9th, 1978.

[Portuguese post on Jan 10th, 2008]

Category: THE UNIVERSAL TEXTS

Dec. 2008: Comments closed.