Brussels, 29 January 2026 — The Church of Scientology-supported human-rights education programmes through United for Human Rights (UHR) and Youth for Human Rights (YHRI) continue to highlight the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as an accessible, practical reference for day-to-day civic life, with a focus on youth, schools and community organisations across Europe.
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 sets out 30 articles describing core rights and freedoms.
Programme partners highlight a common challenge: many people endorse human rights as a principle but have limited familiarity with what the UDHR actually says, including topics such as equal treatment, due process and freedom of conscience.
UHR states it was founded on the UDHR’s 60th anniversary, with a goal of helping individuals and organisations promote and apply the Declaration’s principles. 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 present their work as education and public information, mapping learning modules and media resources to the UDHR’s 30 articles. They are established as nonreligious organisations and, with Scientology support, their materials are used by a range of bodies—from schools and civic groups to local partners—depending on context.
A recurring feature is a “toolkit” approach: adaptable media resources and structured learning tools designed for educational and civic contexts. The package includes a short documentary titled “The Story of Human Rights” 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. Church materials reference L. Ron Hubbard’s writings and the Code of a Scientologist as underscoring support for humanitarian work, including human-rights education.
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.”
Looking into 2026, organisers stress practical usability—clear language, short formats and modular content that supports educators and community leaders without specialised legal training. Common activities include training for educators and youth workers, community workshops and cooperation with civil-society partners in areas such as inclusion, anti-bullying and equal treatment.
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 eu news 2023 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 or belief.
Full text of the press release: Human Rights for Youth: Scientology’s Community Focus.