Appeal from “The Dolomites embracing human rights”: the right to peace is a fundamental right of every human being and of the peoples

Prepared by the Human Rights Centre and the UNESCO Chair in Human Rights, Democracy and Peace of the University of Padua, and launched on September 13th 2015 during the big event "The Dolomites Embrace Human Rights"

From these enchanting places that our mother earth entrusts us as a precious gift and UNESCO glorifies and protects as an original piece of world heritage, 

we join our voice to the universal vox populi

to denounce that war is the systematic violation of all human rights and the excution of a collective death penalty,

and to point out that peace is a pre-requisite and at the same time the result of the respect and realisation of all human rights of all.

With this conviction, we urge all those who bear the responsibility and the power to make international law, and consequently politics and world economy, in particular the members of the Human Rights Council of the United Nations, progress along the way of brotherood and solidarity, to recognise without any further delay peace as a fundamental right of the human person and of the peoples.

We deplore that the Intergovernmental Working Group, which was established in 2012 by the Human Rights Council with the mandate to finalise a United Nations Declaration on the right to peace, has concluded in July 2015 its third sessio without any result due to the preliminary opposition by several states, also including western states.

We strongly condemn the scandalous behaviour of governmental summitries which are proving to be unfeeling towards the cry of pain of those moltitudes of people who are fleeing the scourge of wars, oppressive regimes, fundamentalisms, hunger.

We strongly condemn the ongoing tentacular arms trade and the states stubborn opposition to disarm: this criminal context does explain the refusal of aknowledging the right to peace and of accepting specific legal obligations.

In the 70th anniversary of the United Nations, we do not hesitate to give our voice to “We the peoples of the United Nations, determined to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, ... and to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, ...” to urge the Members of the Human Rights Council, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, our Government and our Parliament, to increase their endeavours in order to make possible the quick approval of the United Nations Declaration on the right to peace.

While applauding the hundreds Councils of large and small Cities and Regions which have endorsed a special petitionary motion on the right to peace, we invite them to take up this renewed Appeal for positive peace and international legality, all united in the peace and brotherhood embrace of the Dolomites.

Our hope is that the beauty of these mountains will disarm hearts and armouries.

Auronzo, 13 September 2015