As a side product we observe moral crisis and over all the missing of ethical values, reasons which give the basis for fanaticism and ignorance: physical misery, intolerance and social, cultural and finally economical decadence are direct consequences.
In the preamble to the UNESCO- constitution it says: "supposing that the human mind gives birth to wars it is in the human mind where we have to build the foundation pillars of peace."
A reinforcement of ethcial values in all ambits of our world is essential beginning in social central structures up to educational, professional, political and economical structures.
We confirm the existence of certain universal ethical values, originationg in the recognition of the human dignity and its necessity to develop itself completely in harmony and peace.
We talk about universal values which respect the diversity and transcend the own cultural principles regarding common ideals without diferentiating between culture, religion or nationality.
No political, social or religious system can have the right to overthrow the authority of these values in each individuals conscience.
Under ethical values we understand those which produce a moral well- being and as such respect, perfectionate and ameliorate the human constitution. The striving for completion led in historical and cultural moments to the development of different concepts of morality. However, if these norms lose the essence of profound ethical values they solidify and contradict their real sense.
The common good has to be the highest aim, an aim which does not depredate but potentiate a persons individuality and prevents that the ethical interests of a few people hurt the commonalty.
Although there exist many values which could be recognized as universal we would like to extract from the totality some to whose
promotion and living we feel ourselves bound.
Veraciousness and knowledge
It is necessary to promote and develop a human beings love for truth and knowledge as a natural striving outside
of the religious and cultural context. Love for the truth originates in a natural ambition to expand ones own understanding of the world and of ourselves.
Honesty and personal integrity
It is necessary that we human beings live honestly and coherently to our own moral principles and our own sense of justice. Every unity between thinking, feeling and acting which is manifested as sincereness and moral strength, helps us not to be seduced by the possibilities of decadence.
This sincereness gives us an example and it is an irreplaceable motor for the transmission of values and for the confidence
in the public forces.
Benevolence and Love
Benevolence and love are the combination which allow the unity of all people. As human beings we have to focus and support this predisposition of striving towards the good,an altruism and desire to contribute to other peoples well being. the one who carries goodness in his heart does not intend to harm somebody else for his own profit.
Sense of beauty
The sense of beauty inspires in us resonances for harmony and the capacity of distinction. Ethics could be understood as an inner beauty which spreads outwards to the environment. Outer and inner beauty ideally go hand in hand.
This is why we believe that art should be used as a civilisatory instrument for the creation of free spaces, public institutions and cultural events. But it is important that art originates in a sense of creativity and not in the search for economic profit.
Respect for the environment and life in general
The human being is integrated into nature. We form part of this amazing expression of life. We must not understand the earth, the oceans, the trees and the animals as pure objects serving our own interests.
Every damage done to this wonderful system called "nature" is a crime and eventually falls back to ourselves. The respect for life, for the environment and the harmonious balance are the natural results of a basic understanding for life and the human being.
Sense of life and spiritual transcendence
In faith, ethics or philosophy, when a human being understands itself as a profound dimension in and part of the universe, if now called god, reason or essence, does this give a sense to life where values and ethical principles have a bigger relevance for our and all human beings development.
This spiritual motor bound to other values such as the faculty of judgement, veraciousness, social compromise and goodness have always and will always accompany our development in every aspect of life from the material over the intelectual to the moral advancement.
Sense of justice based on humanism
Justice is defined as: giving every human what he deserves regarding his character and behaviour. We understand that this
justice represents itself as harmony and balance which always considerates the needs of us human beings and the equal distribution of possibilities such as the chance to achieve improvements thanks to our own effort.
The specific interest of nations, parties and industries cannot replace the real social equality through disrespecting human rights or the right of life in dignity. We insist in the fact that social equality can exist through so-called individual ethics.
Responsability and conscientiousness
We esteem the responsability and conscientiousness as an expression of the individual which involves itself in the work for the development and improvement of the best in its personality as a base of self realization and in the authentic service for the community.
Universal brotherliness
We believe that it is important to understand the connection and essential unity between all human beings which transcends over national, religious and group affiliation. We have to gain the insight that humanity is a big family and that peace, understanding and solidarity should reign.
The feeling of brotherliness is based on the recognition of the dignity of every human being to chose its freedom, its life and its religion, integrated into the natural frame of respect and the universal values and human rigths.
Active tolerance
In this regard it is sufficient to remember the words of the Declaration of principles of tolerance set in the assembly of the UNESCO general conference on October 25th 1995:
"Tolerance resides in the respect, acceptance and appreciation of the rich diversity of cultures in our world and forms of expression of the human being. It is found in openness, communication, knowledge and freedom of thought, conscience and religion.
Tolerance is based on harmony in our diversity. It is not only our moral obligation but much more our political and juridical claim.
Tolerance is the value which makes peace possible and contributes to the process of replacing our war culture for a culture of peace.
Tolerance is not equal to disregard or charity. Over all, tolerance is an active recognition of universal human rights and fundamental freedom. In no case it must be used for the breaking of fundamental values. It assumes the existence of dogmatism and absolutism and confirms the norms of the human rights.
Social compromise
We see the social compromise to be necessary which originates in a natural impulse out of a brotherly spirit of goodness and justice. The general well-being is the result of an individual compromise which should have internalized the ideals of human development.
The civilisatory values expressed in art, science, religion and politics can only be the result of individual dedication with the aim of developping the best in humanity. It shall as well reflect the striving for the realization of the highest human values which we are trying to manifest.
When sciences strive for truth and real knowledge, religion for spirituality, goodness for love, art for beauty and politics for justice than we can reach an unknown harmony which finally leads to an amelioration of our world.
A better world is possible starting with the individual dedication to inspired universal values. We, firming this document, declare our commitment to living personnally the ideas exposed in the declaration and the spreading of its contents in society.
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