The Universal Declaration of Human Rights & Japanese Canadians

On December 10, 2023, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was 75 years young (United Nations, 2023a). Spiritual leaders, political theorists, and philosophers from Confucius (Sim, 2004) to John Locke have expounded on human rights, concepts of dignity, and respect for others through the ages. The consideration of how we treat our neighbors and how we wish to be treated is ever-present. 

These efforts aside, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was a modern human rights milestone and a “defining feature of the twentieth century” (United Nations, 2023b).