BENEDICT XVI: AUDIENCE, THE "ETHICAL ORDER" OF HUMAN RIGHTS

"Confirming in the widest and most authoritative supranational assembly" the "value" of the Universal Declaration of human rights, 60 years after its promulgation, "recalling its universal foundation, that is, the dignity of the human being, created by God in His resemblance to cooperate in the world in His great design of life and peace".” “This, said the Pope during today’s general audience, is the main goal of his visit to the UN headquarters: a Pope’s fourth visit after that of Paul VI in 1965 and the two by John Paul II in 1979 and 1995.” “"Like peace – went on the Pope –, the respect of human rights too is rooted in justice, that is, in an ethical order that is applicable to all times and to all peoples, that can be summed up in the famous saying ‘Do not do to others what you don’t want to be done to you’, or, said in a positive way with Jesus’ words: ‘All that you want men to do to you, you too do that to them’". "On these grounds, that is the typical contribution of the Holy See to the United Nations Organisation – said the Holy Father –, I have renewed and I renew again today the effective commitment of the Catholic Church to contributing to the strengthening of international relations inspired by the principles of responsibility and solidarity".” “