Brussels, 29 January 2026 — The Church of Scientology-supported human-rights education programmes through United for Human Rights (UHR) and Youth for Human Rights International (YHRI) continue to present the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as an accessible, practical reference for everyday civic life, particularly for youth, teachers and community leaders in diverse European communities.
The premise is simple: rights are more likely to be respected when they are widely understood. Adopted by the UN General Assembly in Paris on 10 December 1948, the UDHR defines 30 articles describing fundamental rights and freedoms.
Organisers point to a persistent “knowledge gap”: many people support the idea of human rights but do not know the UDHR’s specific articles, including topics such as equal treatment, due process and freedom of conscience.
United for Human Rights says it was launched around the 60th anniversary of the UDHR to provide educational tools that broaden awareness and encourage implementation of the Declaration. Youth for Human Rights International, founded in 2001 by Dr. Mary Shuttleworth, focuses on introducing young people to the UDHR and strengthening everyday tolerance and peace.
Both initiatives emphasise education, aligning training and media resources with each of the UDHR’s 30 articles. With backing from the Church of Scientology, the nonreligious initiatives report their resources being used by educators and civic groups, with delivery shaped by local partnerships.
A key feature is a toolkit-style approach: short videos, PSAs and teaching materials designed for schools and community presentations. The package includes “The Story of Human Rights” documentary and a series of PSAs aligned to each UDHR right, known as “30 Rights, 30 Ads”. Resources are available across 17 languages to support local delivery and age-appropriate use.
The Church of Scientology links its support for human-rights education to wider prevention- and education-based community initiatives. Official materials also cite L. Ron Hubbard and the Code of a Scientologist in relation to supporting humanitarian endeavours in the field of human rights.
Ivan Arjona-Pelado, Scientology’s representative to the European Union, the OSCE, the Council of Europe and the United Nations, said:
“Human rights are reinforced when people can recognise them, explain them and apply them in daily life—especially in schools and neighbourhoods where diversity is lived every day. Europe’s democratic culture benefits when young people learn the UDHR’s principles early and see respect, equality and non-discrimination as practical responsibilities.”
For 2026, the focus is on making materials easy to use in real settings—clear language, modular tools and training that supports educators and community discussions without specialist legal expertise. In practice this includes training sessions, youth workshops, community discussions and partnerships with civil-society organisations engaged in inclusion, anti-bullying, equal treatment and intercultural dialogue.
The Church of Scientology, its churches, missions, groups and members are present across the European continent. Scientology Europe reports a continent-wide presence through more than 140 churches, missions and affiliated groups in at least 27 European nations, alongside thousands of community-based social betterment and reform initiatives focused on education, prevention and neighbourhood-level support, inspired by the work of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard.
Within Europe’s diverse national frameworks for religion, the Church’s recognitions continue to expand, with administrative and judicial authorities in Spain, Portugal, Sweden, the Netherlands, Italy, Germany Slovakia and others, as well as the European Court of Human Rights, having addressed and acknowledged Scientology communities as protected by the national and international provisions of Freedom of Religion news europe war or belief.
Full text of the press release: Human Rights for Youth: Scientology’s Community Focus.