International Day of Human Rights 2013 in the Czech Republic

T he Czech UPF chapter celebrated the Human Rights Day in Prague on the 10th December 2013 by convening a conference followed by a sympathy and solidarity with our neighbors. This point is very important for the parents to understand. panel discussion. The conference took place in the The second speaker American Centre in Prague and was organized Professor Harald Scheu together with the Civic Institute as a partner from the Faculty of Law of organization. 30 people participated in a beautiful the Charles University in conference hall of the American Centre. Prague spoke about the We had 3 panels with 2 speakers in each. „Faith in Universal In the first panel the topic Declaration of Human was „Human rights – their Rights after 65 years“. He origin and value.“ Dr. Juraj said that the education and Lajda, UPF secretary faith in human rights are general in Czech Republic closely interconnected. outlined the basic ideas Various thought systems and philosophies should be and conclusions of the projected into human rights. He also mentioned that Vienna Declaration and in the American constitution searching for happiness Action Plan accepted 20 is considered as an inalienable right. years ago in 1993. This The second panel focused document played a on „Human Rights in the significant role in the new history of the world, politics and economy“. Dr. especially after the end of the cold war. As for the Roman Joch, director of origin of human rights the speaker pointed out on a the Civic Institute, in his very simple fact that it is the family where we have speech under the title the first and primary environment where we can „What Are Human Rights learn about the human rights. It is the family where and How Can We we can learn the respect towards others as well as Recognize Them“ said that everybody can agree that

human rights are good. Does it mean, however that rights worldwide. Even though we have the High the more human rights we have the better for the Commissioner for Human rights and many human society? Undoubtedly not. We have to recognize the rights NGOs still there are many human rights quality of human rights. Human rights are given by violations in the world and we have still a lot of work our nature. We have natural rights and social rights to do. which are based on a common consensus in the The final speaker Dr. Jan society. There is a difference between them. Kust, writer of a book Next speaker Dr. Karel „The Supreme Court in Šimka, judge from the the USA“, spoke about Supreme Executive the history of slavery in Court spoke about the the USA. He explained in „Regulation of detail historical process Economics as the which ensured in the Sneaking Danger for the abolition of slavery. Human Rights.“ As a Many participants judge he introduced appreciated his speech many examples from because it was very clear and consequent and the practice how the court has to decide in concrete inspiring. cases. Often it is not easy because there are many Several participants expressed the opinion that this opinions and ideologies behind. According to him was the best UPF conference in this year. The the concept of human rights is a Western concept, presentations were of a high quality, had deep maybe 250 years old. We pretend that human rights content, each speaker was an expert in his field and are universal and beyond cultures. Human being is all of them were able to communicate valuable the only being reflecting his/her own existence and information and opinions. Each speaker represented is the subject of the rights not the object. some opinion stream in the society. „Human Rights in the In the end some speakers themselves expressed Social Context” was the their gratitude that they could participate and speak theme of the last panel. in this conference organized by UPF in cooperation Mr. Mark Martin, with the Civic Institute. To the success of this director of the Amnesty conference contributed a very dignified environment International in the of the American Centre and good cooperation and Czech Republic showed support of their staff. in his presentation the most distinct cases of the violation of human Juraj Lajda .