Having lived through the transition from totalitarianism, I am acutely mindful of the need to never take for granted the basic freedoms of thought, expression and belief that democracy brings.

The effects of human rights education can be dramatic in awakening people to the value and power of their own lives, as shown in the following stories.

Rather than becoming discouraged, know that encountering a wall is proof of the progress that you have made so far.

The idea of interdependence is central to Buddhism, which holds that all things come into being through the mutual interactions of various causes and conditions.

Our hopes, desires and ambitions are powerful forces existing within us for the shaping of the future. They are the generating forces that create the future.

But I believe we must not allow feelings of defeat to take root in our hearts.

The differences between people need not act as barriers that wound, harm and drive us apart. Rather, these very differences among cultures and civilizations should be valued as manifestations of the richness of our shared creativity.