Václav Havel: quote of the day

The history of the human race has generated several papers articulating
basic moral imperatives, or fundamental principles, of human
coexistence that… substantially influenced the fate of humanity on this
planet. Among these historic documents, the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights … holds a very special, indeed, unique position.

It is the first code of ethical conduct that was not a product of one culture, or
one sphere of civilization only, but a universal creation, shaped and
subscribed to by representatives of all humankind. 

Since its very inception, the Declaration has thus represented a planetary, or global
commitment, a global intention, a global guideline. For this reason
alone, this exceptional document — conceived as a result of a profound
human self-reflection in the wake of the horrors of World War II, and
retaining its relevance ever since — deserves to be remembered today.

--Václav Havel




Source:
http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/V%C3%A1clav_Havel