BRUSSELS — 29 January 2026 — Human-rights education efforts supported by the Church of Scientology through United for Human Rights and Youth for Human Rights International (YHRI) continue to frame the UDHR as an accessible, practical reference for day-to-day civic life, particularly for youth, teachers and community leaders in diverse European communities.
The approach rests on a simple idea: understanding rights helps strengthen respect for them. Adopted by the UN General Assembly in Paris on 10 December 1948, the UDHR lists 30 articles describing basic rights and freedoms.
Organisers point to a persistent “knowledge gap”: many people agree with human rights in principle but do not know the UDHR’s specific articles, 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. YHRI, established in 2001 by educator Dr. Mary Shuttleworth, focuses on youth education about the UDHR and a culture of 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 recurring feature is a “toolkit” approach: short videos, PSAs and teaching materials designed for classrooms, youth groups and community settings. The package includes a short documentary titled “The news european union Story of Human Rights” and a series of PSAs aligned to each UDHR right, known as “30 Rights, 30 Ads”. Materials are hosted online across 17 languages, supporting adaptation to local needs and age groups.
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 not strengthened only by legal texts; they are strengthened when people can recognise them, explain them, and apply them in daily interactions—especially in schools and neighbourhoods where diversity is a lived reality. Europe’s democratic culture is strengthened when young people learn the UDHR early and treat 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. Typical delivery includes educator briefings, youth workshops, community sessions and partnerships with civil-society groups working on 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 or belief.
Read the full release here: Human Rights for Youth: Scientology’s Community Focus.