Human Rights for Youth: Scientology’s Civic Community Focus

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BRUSSELS — 29 January 2026 — Human-rights education initiatives supported by the Church of Scientology through United for Human Rights (UHR) and Youth for Human Rights (YHRI) continue to present the UDHR as a practical civic reference for everyday civic life, particularly for youth, teachers and community leaders throughout Europe.

The premise is simple: rights are more likely to be respected when they are widely understood. Adopted by the UN General Assembly in Paris on 10 December 1948, the UDHR sets out 30 articles describing basic rights and freedoms.

Those involved note a persistent “knowledge gap”: many people endorse human rights as a principle but are not familiar with the UDHR’s text and the 30 rights it contains, including topics such as equal treatment, due process and freedom of conscience.

United for Human Rights says it was launched around the 60th anniversary of the UDHR to provide educational tools that broaden awareness and encourage implementation of the Declaration. Youth for Human Rights International, founded in 2001 by Dr. Mary Shuttleworth, focuses on introducing young people to the UDHR and strengthening everyday tolerance and peace.

Both initiatives present their work as education and public information, mapping learning modules and media resources to the UDHR’s 30 articles. They are established as nonreligious organisations and, with Scientology support, their materials are used by a range of bodies—from schools and civic groups to local partners—depending on context.

A consistent feature is a “toolkit” model: short videos, PSAs and teaching materials designed for classrooms, youth groups and community settings. The package includes the documentary “The Story of Human Rights” and a series of PSAs aligned to each UDHR right, known as “30 Rights, 30 Ads”. Interactive websites host resources in 17 languages, helping educators adapt delivery to local audiences.

The Church of Scientology frames its involvement as part of broader community and social-betterment work focused on prevention and education. Official materials also cite L. Ron Hubbard and the Code of a Scientologist in relation to supporting humanitarian endeavours in the field of human rights.

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 Europe 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 civic culture is reinforced when young people learn the UDHR’s principles early and view respect, equality and non-discrimination as practical responsibilities.”

For 2026, the focus is on making materials easy to use in real settings—clear language, modular tools and training that supports educators and community discussions without specialist legal expertise. In practice this includes training sessions, youth workshops, community discussions and partnerships with civil-society organisations engaged in inclusion, anti-bullying, equal treatment and intercultural dialogue.

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.

Read the full release here: Human Rights for Youth: Scientology’s Community Focus.

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