Artists for Human Rights

I just found a web site called Artists for Human Rights, created by Anne Archer with the purpose of bringing artists together with the common cause of raising awareness of human rights around the world while providing a voice to those artists who have been suppressed due to governmental, religious or cultural oppression.

Here's what she says about the history of the web site:

Founded by the celebrated Academy Award nominated film actress and human rights advocate, Anne Archer, Artists for Human Rights invites artists from all disciplines to contribute. Participation is broad-based, embracive of all races, creeds and nationalities with its only prerequisite - support and affirmation of the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights. Working Board members are exactly that - working board members. Not in name only, Working Board members attend meetings, take on projects, bring their own creative genius to the cause for human rights.

Maintaining its goals and mission statement, Artists for Human Rights works inclusively with allied organizations to bring the full force of artistic expression to bear in the human rights arena. What many do not know about AFHR Founder Anne Archer is that she has tirelessly and unceremoniously fought for human rights across the globe for nearly two decades. She has led religious tolerance movements in Germany, France, the United States, Spain and Africa. She has, with other artists, led protest marches in uneven streets, testified to Congress, met quietly and openly with State Department officials around the world - always bringing her creativity and passion to the fight.

More recently, Anne has been an instrumental force for Youth for Human Rights International which has over 25 chapters around the world promoting human rights in schools, orphanages, colleges - all on numerous continents - as well as Youth Summits and film festivals in concert with UNICEF and the United Nations.

"Where after all, do universal human rights begin? In small places, close to home - so close and so small that they cannot be seen on any maps of the world. Yet they are the world of the individual person; the neighborhood he lives in; the school or college he attends; the factory, farm or office where he works…unless these rights have meaning there, they have little meaning anywhere. Without concerted citizen action to uphold them close to home, we shall look in vain for progress in the larger world."

Eleanor Roosevelt
Chairman of the United Nations
Human Rights Commission 1948

As a fellow Scientologist I am very proud of the work Anne has done for many years to forward human rights and religious freedom. There is a great deal more information on the human rights activities of Scientology churches at the Scientology Effective Solutions web site.