In the last month of 2008, the world celebrated the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. We are reminded not only of the legacy of this fundamental document but of our continued responsibility as active students to uphold the meaning of the words carefully constructed within it.

Article One states that, “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.” We at the SHRP find ourselves increasingly dedicated to these words.

And we all find our own reason and conscience tested now as violence and disparity threaten stability and equal freedoms once again in the Middle East. On 27 December, Israeli rockets rained down in the Gaza Strip, opening anew, a deep and vital wound. As students and as the generation that is presented with the task of carrying the torch of the UDHR into the future, we must not turn away from what we face now. We walk into the New Year this month and we must confront this most urgent struggle in our journey, working hard to ensure that dignity and equal rights are preserved for all, every step of the way.

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