Rights and Duties are two sides of the same coin: by stressing the idea of duties you can discover the active role in upholding the fundamental concepts, rather than simply recognize their legitimacy.
Human Duties towards Mankind
Today we still assist to continuous attacks against fundamental human rights. It would be easy to conclude that both the Declaration of Human Rights and that of Human Duties are useless and that the human being is made up with a natural indomitable ferocity.
We think however that it is not possible and correct to give up: it is a duty to continue our efforts to convince human beings that it is time to change our way of thinking. We think that the message will be more easily received and accepted if presented as a justified way to satisfy the instinct survival of ourselves and of the future generations.
Our Responsibility
As a results of the power of modern science we risk making our planet uninhabitable through burgeoning, overpopulation, modern war, ecological carelessness and social neglect.
Human beings have responsibilities which cannot be abdicated. Scientist are obligated to make an informed contribution to the public debate on vital issues of our time, on which depend the survival mankind.
Human Dignity, Environment, Peace
The Declaration of Human Duties aims, most urgently, the dangers threatening the globe, the biosphere and all living species.
The Declaration lists 12 points which may be collected into three categories that concern:
- Human dignity and the dangers produced by the violation of it
- Environment, a concept which should be revisited, in order to understand why it must be respected, to avoid the disappearance of human beings
- Peace among the peoples
On the whole it is a call to the responsibilities for every human being.
The Role of New Generations
In the lesson held by Rita Levi-Montalcini that opened to our efforts, she said the Declaration was not substantially different from other documents but had two typical differences:
- in setting the entire document framework on the concept of duties, and not just on that of rights
- in focusing on the importance for new generations to rightfully participate to the implementation of the programmes
Lecture by Rita Levi-Montalcini at the University of Trieste during her honorary degree Ceremony
Human Rights and Duties on the Threshold of the 3rd Millenium
The shared United Nations blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet.
17 Sustainable Development Goals that embrace our principles.