Lighting up the small places.

The General Assembly proclaims this Universal Declaration of Human Rights as a common standard of achievement for all peoples of all nations, to the end that every individual and every organ of society, keeping this Declaration constantly in mind, shall strive by teaching and education to promote respect for these rights and freedoms and by progressive measures, national and international, to secure their universal and effective recognition and observance.

- Preamble to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

It was that indomitable global citizen, Eleanor Roosevelt, who crafted and championed the Declaration. She was appointed the United States representative to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights and was then chosen as its chairperson.

The Commission's task was daunting; it was charged with integrating the world's diverse religions and ideologies in order to articulate a truly universal conception of human rights. Mrs. Roosevelt's invaluable participation helped to bring together two very different conceptions of human rights. Human rights in the West had been understood primarily in terms of the political and civil rights that were at the core of the liberal tradition, This strand of thought had evolved through Locke, Jefferson and other Enlightenment thinkers. But the East, particularly the Soviet Union, felt that this interpretation of human rights was severely limited in failing to recognize the importance of economic and social rights, such as full employment, adequate housing, decent health care and social security, all of which were so central to Marxist thought. Eleanor Roosevelt understood the value of both of these approaches, and she worked diligently to mediate the differences in these human rights paradigms and strategies.

In order to provide a truly universal definition of human rights, the document also needed to incorporate the world's diverse religions and moral systems. The Chinese wanted to include Confucian and other Eastern wisdom, while Catholics argued for the inclusion of the moral and philosophical views of Thomas Aquinas. It was a formidable assignment, even with the help of scholars such as P. C. Chang of China, Dr. Charles Malik of Lebanon and Dr. John Humphrey of Canada.

Though she felt humbled by the assignment, Eleanor Roosevelt led the way in addressing this philosophical and cultural challenge. She recognized that her perspective as a global citizen - as someone who could understand and articulate a universal statement of principles from the point of view of the common person - presented her with a unique role and historic responsibility.

The Universal Declaration was presented to the United Nations General Assembly on 10 December 1948, and Mrs. Roosevelt reminded the audience that the document was not a treaty but a general moral framework, an "international Magna Carta" for everyone everywhere.

"We hope its proclamation by the General Assembly will be an event comparable to the proclamation of the Declaration of the Rights of Man by the French people in 1789, the adoption of the Bill of Rights by the people of the United States, and the adoption of comparable declarations at different times in other countries."

Though human rights abuses are still rampant in the world, there is no doubt that things would have been incomparably worse without this landmark document. The moral wisdom, diplomatic skill and unfailing commitment of Eleanor Roosevelt gave the world an inspiration for global problem-solving and peacemaking. Her unique diplomatic style has been described as a combination of political guile and naivete. She was humble and yet brave in taking up the great burden that was hers by virtue of history, and destiny. Eleanor Roosevelt's vision was both great and small, and she embodied the ethic of "thinking globally and acting locally". She cared not simply about humanity at large, but also about the sacred life and suffering of individuals in all their specificity.

Ten years later, Eleanor Roosevelt presented to the UN Commission on Human Rights a booklet about the Universal Declaration entitled In Your Hands. At the occasion, she said: "Where, after all, do universal human rights begin? In small places, close to home - so close and so small that they cannot be seen on any map of the world. Yet they are the world of the individual person: the neighborhood he lives in; the school or college he attends; the factory; farm or office where he works. Such are the places where every man, woman and child seeks equal justice, equal opportunity, equal dignity without discrimination. Unless these rights have meaning there, they have little meaning anywhere. Without concerted citizen action to uphold them dose to home, we shall look in vain for progress in the larger world."

Hofstra University will host an international conference"The Vision of Eleanor Roosevelt: Global Citizen Ahead of Her Time" - on 30 September and on 1 and 2 October 1999. We hope that scholars, diplomats, politicians and global citizens will join us to revisit and commemorate the life and legacy of this remarkable woman, whom Adlai Stevenson eulogized by saying, "She would rather light a candle than curse the darkness, and her glow has warmed the world".

Linda Longmire, Ph.D., is Associate Professor of Political Science at Hofstra University, New York.