BRUSSELS, Belgium — 29 January 2026 — Human-rights education efforts supported by the Church of Scientology through United for Human Rights (UHR) and Youth for Human Rights International continue to present the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) as an accessible, practical reference for everyday civic life, with a focus on youth, schools and community organisations across Europe.
The approach rests on a simple idea: understanding rights helps strengthen respect for them. Approved by the UN General Assembly on 10 December 1948, the UDHR sets out 30 articles describing core rights and freedoms.
Organisers point to a persistent “knowledge gap”: many people agree with human rights in principle but have limited familiarity with what the UDHR actually says, including topics such as non-discrimination, education 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. The organisations are described as nonreligious, while being sponsored and supported by the Church of eu newsletter Scientology, and their resources are used by schools, civic groups and local partners depending on national context.
A key feature is a toolkit-style approach: short videos, PSAs and teaching materials designed for classrooms, youth groups and community settings. The package includes a short documentary titled “The Story of Human Rights” and a series of PSAs often described as “30 Rights, 30 Ads”. Interactive websites host resources in 17 languages, helping educators adapt delivery to local audiences.
Scientology’s support for the programmes is presented within a broader set of social initiatives emphasising prevention and education. Church materials reference L. Ron Hubbard’s writings and the Code of a Scientologist as underscoring support for humanitarian work, including human-rights education.
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.”
Into 2026, the emphasis remains on usability: clear language, modular content and training formats that support lesson plans and community discussions without requiring specialist legal knowledge. Common activities include training for educators and youth workers, community workshops and cooperation with civil-society partners in areas such as inclusion, anti-bullying and equal treatment.
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.
Full text of the press release: Human Rights for Youth: Scientology’s Community Focus.