10.12.2021

UEM launches Human Rights Campaign 2022

Sarah Vecera, Jochen Motte, Uwe Schneidewind, Volker Martin Dally (from left), © Susanne Seiler, UEM

On 10 December 2021, Human Rights Day, the United Evangelical Mission (UEM) launched its Human Rights Campaign 2022 at a digital event. As in the previous year, the campaign is based on the biblical motto from James 4:12 "But who are you to judge your neighbours?". "As the UEM community in three continents, we say no to all forms of exclusion and discrimination. Together we stand for a world in which people, regardless of their origin, skin colour, religion and gender, meet and live together in respect and recognition of their dignity and human rights," says Dr Jochen Motte, member of the board of the UEM. In Africa, this year's campaign will strengthen the rights of people with disabilities through a series of projects. In Asia, Christians see their religious freedom restricted or threatened in many areas. In projects and actions, they stand together with people of other religions against discrimination based on faith. In Germany, churches want to overcome racist discrimination through education and awareness-raising work with children and adults.

The Lord Mayor, Prof. Dr Uwe Schneidewind, welcomes the action. His vision is a city without discrimination. With the campaign for human rights, the UEM is giving a very important initial impulse. It establishes a link between the global commitment to human rights and the very concrete and necessary implementation on the ground in a city like Wuppertal.

In his video message, the President of the Evangelical Church in the Rhineland, Dr Thorsten Latzel, pointed out how quick we are to judge people and how quickly we hurt and degrade them. On the subject of racism, which is the focus of the action in Germany, he says: "Experiences of discrimination and exclusion do not stop at our church doors. Therefore, I would like to encourage you to deal with and follow up on racist tendencies in ourselves, in our church communities and in other social contexts. And let us all together resist and oppose racism in our society."

Sarah Vecera, Deputy Head of Department Germany of the UEM, sees especially in the re-elected leading verse of the campaign a chance for dialogue: "If I acknowledge that my perception is not the only truth but only a perspective, then I have a good basis to get into conversation with each other without judging."

Volker Martin Dally, General Secretary of the UEM: "As the United Evangelical Mission, we do a lot because we see it as our Christian mission to stand up for each other. We oppose all currents of racism, discrimination or exclusion from society. This human rights campaign contributes to that. And in this spirit, I thank you all on behalf of the Executive Board with regard to the Human Rights Campaign for your participation already now."

More information on the campaign, all materials for download can be found here.

You can watch the livestream of the event afterwards here on the  Youtube channel of the UEM.