Human Rights Day
Safeguarding Truth with Conscience
Upholding Human Rights with Integrity
Dr. Hong, Tao-Tze
Zhang-men-ren of Tai Ji Men
President of the Federation of World Peace and Love
Vice President of the Association of World Citizens,
NGO in Consultative Status with ECOSOC and Associated with the UN DPI
December 10, 2025
Distinguished guests, esteemed scholars and experts, ladies and gentlemen,
Greetings.
Today marks International Human Rights Day, a day that commemorates the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and serves as a moment for us to reflect upon and reaffirm the inalienable dignity and freedom of every human being. The 2025 theme, “Our Everyday Essentials,” reminds the world that human rights are not distant ideals, but values expressed in everyday life—through the freedom to share our thoughts, through treating one another with respect, and through actively speaking out against injustice. Human rights can be practiced in countless ways in daily living, actively creating well-being and security for all. They are essential to the value of life itself and must be upheld through the collective efforts of humanity.
Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights proclaims with clarity and purpose: “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.” We are living in a time of profound and rapid transformation. Environmental imbalances, armed conflicts, the spread of disinformation and extremism, technological surveillance, systemic discrimination, and the widening gap between rich and poor present serious and far-reaching challenges to the realization of human rights in our world. On December 10, 1948, a historic milestone was reached with the adoption of a document that, for the first time, defined the fundamental rights of all humankind. Its significance today is even more compelling than ever. Now, more than at any other time, we are called upon to uphold reason and conscience, to embrace the spirit of mutual support and care, and to address human rights challenges through sound policies, education, dialogue, and cooperation.
All things follow the natural order of Heaven; Heaven, Earth, and humanity are fundamentally one. Human rights are endowed by Heaven, and the Way of Heaven is impartial. At its core, this affirms that every person possesses the right to seek the origin of life and to explore the true purpose of human existence. To return to the home of the spirit—to the source from which life arises—is a deep and enduring longing within the human spirit. Across diverse environments and cultures, different systems of thought have converged, shaping spiritual communities devoted to shared cultivation, as well as the beliefs and traditions of different religions, thereby giving rise to places of spiritual practice. Every person has the freedom and the right to choose their own path of belonging and awakening. Whether one seeks to pursue self-fulfillment alone or strives to benefit both oneself and the world at large, such choices must be respected and must not be deprived by any authority, including the power of the state. This is the core value of human rights.
The foundation of human rights lies in the manifestation of conscience. “Conscience and honesty” serve as an inner guiding light by which humanity engages with itself, with others, and with all aspects of life; only by kindling this inner light can we move toward a bright future. Governance guided by conscience gives rise to good governance, which must be grounded in transparency and integrity. Only by confronting past mistakes with honesty and the courage to correct them can trust be earned and the well-being of the people truly safeguarded. Transparency and integrity are not merely principles of public administration; they are fundamental pillars for the protection of human rights. When governments govern with integrity, civil society operates with transparency and self-discipline, and individuals conduct themselves according to conscience and mutual trust, a virtuous cycle of trust can take root within society—enabling the creation of a better living environment.
Hope gives people strength, and only actions guided by conscience can turn hope into reality. Conscience serves as the compass that directs our actions, enabling us to discern truth from falsehood, right from wrong, and good from evil. Only when we listen to the voice of our inner conscience and are willing to face ourselves and others with honesty, transparency, and integrity can human rights truly be realized in every corner of society. For this reason, I initiated the “Declaration of Transparency and Integrity” with the aspiration of building a global culture of mutual trust and support founded upon integrity. To date, individuals from 149 countries have endorsed the Declaration, joining together in putting the values of uprightness and conscience into action.
On this Human Rights Day, I invite each and every one of you to transform “human rights” into something that can be embraced as a daily necessity from the moment we awaken each morning. Let us, within our families, communities, organizations, and nations, take conscience as our foundation, love as our driving force, and peace as our shared goal, and safeguard the dignity and freedom of every individual. May every decision we make and every interaction we share radiate the light of human rights. We will continue to move forward. May this tree of human rights grow ever more flourishing in branch and leaf, and may our world, through the collective efforts of all, remain forever beautiful and filled with enduring hope.
May conscience awaken, and integrity be our foundation.
Let us uphold transparency and foster trust.
Let us begin with love and make peace a reality.