Scientologists across Europe promote the Universal Declaration of Human Rights through Youth for Human Rights programs, combining education, cultural events, and international summits from Copenhagen to the UN in Geneva and New York. Rooted in L. Ron Hubbard’s teachings, they see human rights advocacy not only as civic service but as a spiritual duty, essential to social survival and personal progress toward the divine.
Members of the Church of Scientology are active across Europe in promoting the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), inspired by the vision of their religious community’s Founder, L. Ron Hubbard. Through the non-profit Youth for Human Rights International (YHRI) and United for Human Rights, Scientologists volunteer their time and resources to bring knowledge of the 30 rights enshrined in the UDHR to schools, communities and youth events. With booklets, audiovisuals and lesson plans translated into many languages, the program makes these fundamental rights accessible to young people of every background.
This work traces back to Mr. Hubbard’s insistence that human rights education is essential for the survival of societies. In 1969, he reprinted the UDHR in a Church magazine, highlighting that governments’ very survival depends utterly upon adopting such reforms. For Scientologists, those words remain a guiding principle. They see education on rights not merely as a public service but as an essential part of building understanding between people and ensuring dignity for every human being. In this sense, their commitment is a direct continuation of the Founder’s ideal of turning rights from a lofty declaration into a living fact.
A place in Europe whose activation on this field can’t be overlooked is Denmark. Since 2006, the religious community and diverse activists, through Youth for Human Rights Denmark, have organized innovative projects that combine education with cultural expression. Students learn through screenings of The Story of Human Rights film, creative workshops and discussions in classrooms, and the now-traditional Walk for Human Rights every December 10, where hundreds gather in Copenhagen to celebrate and demand respect for the UDHR. The program has earned recognition from both the City of Copenhagen and the national Ministry of Culture, which provided support for its activities. This official acknowledgment illustrates how initiatives born from Scientologists’ religious inspiration also contribute to civic life in concrete, measurable ways.
And Denmark is just one example. Across Europe, Scientologists and their churches have helped bring Youth for Human Rights programs to a wide variety of settings. In Brussels, the Church of Scientology for Europe co-hosted the International Youth Summit, gathering young delegates from dozens of nations to exchange strategies for spreading awareness of the UDHR. In Geneva, volunteers support annual UDHR Anniversary celebration at UN premises, giving voice to dozens of NGOs from accross Europe that contribute to make human rights closer to a fact, and often with the use of Youth for Human Rights International materials. Then there is the annual Summits at the United Nations, where youth delegates present projects to diplomats, NGOs and human rights experts. at the UN Headquarters in New York, providing a global platform for the voices of young people committed to making rights a reality. In Madrid and other capitals, Scientologists join with schools, civic leaders and interfaith groups to mark milestones such as Human Rights Day and anniversaries of the UDHR. Together, these initiatives form a network of education and advocacy that stretches from local classrooms to the world stage.
What unites these efforts is more than civic engagement. For Scientologists, championing human rights is also a spiritual expression, deeply rooted in their faith. The Creed of the Church of Scientology explicitly affirms human rights, underscoring their central place in religious practice. Scientology teaches that life is best understood as a progression through eight dynamics—spheres or urges of survival that extend from the self and the family, through groups, humankind and the natural universe, and ultimately toward spirituality and the infinite, which is how Scientologists commonly describe the concept of God.
Caring for others and safeguarding their rights lies at the heart of the Fourth, Fifth, Sixth and Seventh Dynamics, where the individual recognizes survival as part of humanity, nature and spiritual awareness. Scientologists believe that only by strengthening and improving survival across these dynamics—by upholding the dignity of others—can one gradually advance toward the Eighth Dynamic, identified with the Supreme Being, God or infinity.
In this light, their human rights work is not an isolated project but an integral step in a broader spiritual journey.
As a Church spokesperson Ivan Arjona summarized: “Youth for Human Rights’ mission is to make human rights a fact, not just an idealistic dream. For Scientologists, every effort to teach and protect human rights builds understanding of our place within the broader fabric of life—and step by step, this is what brings us closer to the highest truths of existence.”
From Copenhagen sidewalks to Brussels conference halls, from annual youth summits at the United Nations in Geneva and New York to classroom and civil society projects in Madrid, Amsterdam and beyond, Scientologists continue to honor Mr Hubbard’s vision: that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights should be known, lived and safeguarded. Their efforts show that when people are educated on their rights, societies grow stronger, individuals find common ground, and the path toward greater spiritual awareness remains open to all.
Media Contact
Organization: European Office Church of Scientology for Public Affairs and Human Rights
Contact Person: Ivan Arjona
Website: https://www.scientologyeurope.org
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Address:Boulevard de Waterloo 103
City: Brussels
State: Brussels
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