Voice 1
Welcome to Spotlight. I'm Joshua Leo.
Voice 2
And I'm Christy Van Arragon. Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.
Voice 1
In 1948 there was a major world event. The General Assembly of the United Nations signed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The declaration says that Human rights are universal. Each and every person born on earth has the same rights.
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Today's Spotlight is on a project that celebrates and expands the first declaration. It is called Project 2048. Project 2048 is a group of schools, universities, non-governmental organizations and businesses. It is called this because in the year 2048, the Declaration will be one hundred years old. This is also the year for the project to meet its goals. They hope to do two things by the year 2048.
Voice 1
The first thing that Project 2048 wants to do is create a way to hold countries and people accountable. This means that there must be a way to enforce human rights. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is not a treaty. Project 2048 wants to change this. If someone is not receiving their full rights, they need to be able to do something. There should be someone that they can talk to and steps that they can take. Project 2048 includes several law schools - universities that train lawyers and judges. These schools are especially interested in the law questions of this goal.
Voice 2
The second thing they want to do is educate all people about their rights. They especially want to teach students. Learning your rights and the rights of other people is very important. Educating all people is a difficult goal. But if people know their rights, then they can encourage their governments to protect them.
Voice 1
The Declaration is a very long list. Project 2048 has simplified this list into five main freedoms. This makes the list easier to remember and understand. They based these five freedoms on a speech by the former American President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Roosevelt
"We look forward to a world founded upon four essential human freedoms ..."
Voice 2
Roosevelt was president right after the Second World War - around the time that the original Declaration was written. This was a time when people wanted to make sure that this kind of fighting and killing did not happen again. He names four freedoms: freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom from want and freedom from fear. Project 2048 has added a fifth freedom that has become very important for our world: freedom for the environment.
"... anywhere in the world."
Voice 1
It is good to know these five freedoms. Kirk Boyd is one of the leaders of Project 2048. He has a very good way to remember the five freedoms. First, you must hold up your own hand and look at it. Most of us have five fingers; one of them is a thumb. The thumb is strong and stands out. This is freedom of speech. It is a human right to stand up and speak. People have the right to say or write what they think.
Voice 2
The next finger is the index finger, or pointer finger. In some cultures, people point with this first finger. It represents freedom of religion. When we are looking for a direction, we are free to choose any or no religion. For people who choose to believe in God, they should be free to do so without government control. People should have the right to follow any religion that they believe in.
Voice 1
The third finger is the middle finger. It is longer than the other fingers. This represents freedom from want. There are many people in the world who are not able to have this human right. They may lack food, water, shelter, education or health care. Did you know that having drinking water is your right as a human? How about going to school? Or getting quick treatment from a good doctor? Freedom from want is now the path of all people on earth.
Voice 2
In some cultures, people wear a wedding ring on their fourth finger. This finger is a symbol of close relationship. It represents freedom for the environment. All humans are connected to the earth. All humans need water, food, air and shelter. Our health depends on how we care for the environment. So it is important that we should have the right to do what is good for the earth and good for us. You may see that this is often connected to the third freedom. If we have enough water, food and good health it is easier to have a good relationship with the earth.
Voice 1
The last finger is short but in some ways it is the most important. This is freedom from fear. This finger balances the others and they all lead to it. If a man does not have enough land or money to feed his family then he may live with fear. If a woman does not have good health care, she may be afraid of giving birth. When we have freedom of speech, religion, for the environment and from want, we can then live without fear.
Voice 2
There is one more way that we can see the five freedoms in our hands. We use our hands for work and play everyday. Project 2048 is trying to find a way to make human rights a part of our daily lives. Educating people about their human rights is an important first step. But their main aim is for the countries of the world to sign a new document by 2048. This one hundred year anniversary is a good time for a new structure. So Project 2048 is working to make an enforceable structure for governments. This structure would mean that governments must enforce human rights in their countries. This would make a very positive change everywhere in the world.
Voice 1
This change will probably be slow. It takes time to change government policy. And it may not even be possible. That is why Project 2048 is starting now. They still have almost forty years to reach their goal. We can help by knowing our own rights and respecting the rights of other people. And we hope that in forty years, there may be a way for people of every nation to work towards the five freedoms.
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