It all started in 1993, in Trieste. And from Trieste the procedure leading to the Trieste Declaration of Human Duties will start again. The initiative will benefit from the rebirth of ICHD – the International Council of Human Duties, an association that promoted the Declaration in partnership with the University of Trieste, 27 years ago.

The announcement was made today at ESOF 2020, during an event that featured Joanne Fox-Przeworski, a member of the Board of Directors, Environmental Integrity Project, Washington D.C., Sergio Paoletti, President of Area Science Park, and the American economist Jeffrey Sachs. 

Piera Levi-Montalcini, niece of late Nobel Laureate Rita Levi-Montalcini, took part in the event via a video recording. Rita Levi Montalcini was a passionate supporter of the Declaration, which was devised by Professor Roger Sperry and endorsed by dozens of eminent accademicians and several Nobel Laureates.

Respect for human dignity and human life, avoidance of energy waste, and action against racial injustices are just some of the 12 key points listed in The Trieste Declaration of Human Duties, an ethical code that focuses on the need to share the responsibility to preserve human dignity, protect the environment, and maintain peace among populations.

"Today we are at the dawn of the third millennium, and all the nations have responsibilities that should come before their rights. Only if we succeed in promulgating and disseminating the idea that these responsibilities are important, will we build a future for mankind". These were the words that Nobel Laureate Rita Levi Montalcini echoed many times, when she presented the Declaration of Human Duties.

"I think this is the right time to disseminate the principles stated in 1933 again, with more emphasis," maintained Sergio Paoletti, the President of Area Science Park, who is among the first supporters of the initiative.

"The Trieste Declaration of Human Duties makes an appeal to share responsibilities, to raise awareness towards the duties we all have towards mankind and the world itself. And it's extremely meaningful that the scientific community is launching this initiative. This is the road we have to take if we want to build a better future."

Original source: https://www.esof.eu/en/news-reader/press-release-trieste-relaunches-the-declaration-of-human-duties.html