René Cassin works to promote and protect human rights in the UK drawing on Jewish values and Jewish experience. As survivors of intolerance, slavery and genocide, we believe that a ‘Jewish voice for human rights’ conveys both empathy and solidarity and carries an authoritative weight of experience that adds force to advocacy and awareness-raising.
Our namesake, Monsieur
René Cassin, who co-drafted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, helped define the principles that would
underpin the international
community’s shared commitment to freedom, justice, equality and peace. For many of us, the resulting human rights framework defines who we are and how we live our lives. It is our responsibility to remember this legacy to ensure that the inequality and hate that led to the Holocaust is never repeated.
What do we do?
With global intolerance and nationalism are on the rise – as they were I the 1930s when the Nazis came to power – René Cassin is remaking the case for human rights values.
Jews have suffered throughout history. Today in the UK there are vulnerable minorities whose suffering echoes those of Jews through the age:
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victims of human trafficking and modern day slavery;
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Gypsy, Roma and Travellers facing discrimination and vilification
René Cassin is bringing the force of Jewish solidarity to bear in arguing for the rights of these minorities.
How to get involved
1. Take part in our coordinated Jewish Action to Stop Uyghur Persecution
2. Have a look at our educational programmes and resources designed to inspire the next generation of human rights defenders, including our Fellowship Programme and resources on hate crime, slavery, our Hagaddah Companion and ‘Human Rights Thought for the Week’;
3. Join our internship programme; work experience or write blogs for us
4. Sign up to our events and hear from inspiring speakers
The Holocaust will always be remembered as one of the lowest points of humanity – where basic human values were ignored and destroyed. But it is also the point from which the universal lesson of ‘never again’ emerged, and where individuals like Monsieur René Cassin helped define the principles that would underpin the international community’s shared commitment to freedom, justice, equality and peace.
For many of us, the resulting human rights framework defines who we are and how we live our lives. It is our responsibility to remember this legacy to ensure that the inequality and hate that led to the Holocaust is never repeated.