500th Anniversary for Human Rights

A remarkable symposium takes place in the Washington area the first weekend of December (2-4).  It is the 500th Anniversary of Human Rights, marking the day that the Dominican friar, Fr. Antonio de Montesinos, preached a sermon in support of indigenous rights in the Spanish empires of Latin America.   That sermon reached courts in Spain, and helped change the course of native people’s legal  status and spiritual standing, by offering more protections amidst the often destructive age of the Conquistadors.  

This event explores numerous topics, including the history and religious roots of human rights, universal and indigenous rights, modern genocide, human trafficking, rights and the Arab spring, and much more.   Events include scholarly presentations and discussion, cultural events, films and a religious celebration at St. Michael’s Cathedral on Sunday.   Consortium members and friends are encouraged to attend, as we are co-sponsoring the event, and some of our schools (including the Dominican House) are involved in the program.

For more information, see http://humanrights500.org/ .