Letter from the President of PDHRE - Ms. Shulamith Koenig
(regarding the partnership between PDHRE and Human Rights Cities)
Human Rights is the greatest gift of contemporary thought to humanity. It is not only a vision for a better world, but also a tool for achieving it. Yet somehow, as we enter the new millennium, it is a term that has come to represent in the public mind not the hope of the future, but rather legal processes, charges and countercharges, and , at times even, a certain empty rhetorical self-righteous.
In building a partnership for Human Rights Cities, we are committed to the profoundly simple, yet powerful, idea that to make a real difference in the daily lives of women and men, human rights must be understood as the basis and framework for our societies. People need to learn about human rights and let this understanding inspire action so that they will be ready to participate in joint efforts to improve the lives of their communities through human rights learning and action, that truly captures the idea of a worldwide movement for Human Rights Education and Human Rights Cities.
PDHRE, Peoples Movement for Human Rights Education, UNDP, United Nations Development Programme, and UNF, United Nations Foundation, fully recognize the challenges that lie ahead in implementing the Human Rights Cities Program. We seek to expand the partnership by inviting governments, foundations, companies and individuals to join us and commit to support this exciting initiative.
We hope that this information leads you to an understanding of the human rights cities program.
We welcome your support and your active participation and involvement.
Visit our website at www.pdhre.org.
Shulamith Koenig
Founder and President of PDHRE