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The Scientology religion is founded on a belief in human rights. This is such a fundamental concept that the Creed of the Church of Scientology begins with these words:
“We of the Church believe:
That all men of whatever race, color, or creed were created with equal rights.”;
And Austrian Scientologists are working with other community groups, religions and NGOs (private or nonprofit organizations that are not affiliated with a governmental body or institution) to make human rights a reality.
They have formed and sponsor a local chapter of Youth for Human Rights International (YHRI).
YHRI, headquartered in Los Angeles, has the purpose to help youth become valuable advocates for tolerance and peace by educating them on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
The Vienna chapter of Youth for Human Rights International is actively carrying out this purpose.
Most weeks you will find them out on the streets of the city, distributing copies of booklets that lay out the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in terms children and teenagers can understand.
With puppet shows, music, art and videos they get their message across to the young people of their city.
In coordination with the Church of Scientology International, YHRI has developed education materials that bring human rights into sharp focus. The centerpiece of this program is 30 new human rights public service announcements (PSAs).
This summer YHRI conducted their third annual human rights World Tour, where they held a series of 30 events, releasing one of these new films at each event.
The Church of Scientology of Vienna and the Church of Scientology Celebrity Centre of Vienna were proud to host two of these events, where the PSAs for Article 13 and 14 were released.
Article 13 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states:
(1) Everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence within the borders of each State.
(2) Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country.
This message was brought to life in a short film featuring a young African man, running through the hills of him homeland, dreaming of a life where he is free to move without restriction of any kind. And this PSA can be viewed online or downloaded here
Article 14 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states:
Everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy in other countries asylum from persecution.
The hard-hitting film that educates youth on this right opens with the fact that each year “19 million kids attempt to flee their own country.”; The PSA also makes it clear what the consequences are to those who don&slquo;t make it.
This video can also be seen online.
After releasing these properties in Austria, the YHRI World Tour carried on, with events in Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and then on to the Middle East and Asia. And at home, the Vienna volunteers carried on their work.
Then last month the Vienna chapter of YHRI was once again in the international spotlight when member, Angelo Kreutzberger, was selected to be one of 33 children and teenagers invited to attend the "Day of General Discussion”; held by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child.
Angelo expressed his belief that children&slquo;s rights and all human rights will never be accomplished in the face of ignorance. When people don&slquo;t know what human rights are they will not insist they be enforced and will not take responsibility for the rights of others. So the first step in creating real human rights reform that permeates to all levels of society is educating youth on the subject.
Angelo introduced the Commission to the work Youth for Human Rights International has done in creating educational materials that accomplish this purpose and showed all attendees several of the PSAs.
He clearly made his point, as the rapporteurs (those designated to report on the findings of the Commission) decided that human rights education should be the Commission&slquo;s top priority.
L. Ron Hubbard once wrote “Human rights must be made a fact, not an idealistic dream.”; Scientologists in Austria have joined with other humanitarian groups to make this dream a reality.
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