Respecting human rights

The United Nations is an association of sovereign States, but the rights that it exists to protect and promote are people's rights. It follows that individuals everywhere have a responsibility to help defend the ideals of human rights. The role of civil society in the establishment of the International Criminal Court was an inspiring example of what can be achieved by people driven by faith in those ideals. The voice of the people brought us to Rome; the voice of the people gives this gift of hope to succeeding generations.