Today, two plaques inscribed with the nearly 60-year-old United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights will be launched into space from Kennedy Space Center aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavor. The plaques, engraved in both French and English with the Declaration's 30 articles, are sealed in "space-proof" packaging and are booked for permanent orbit around Earth from ESA’s Columbus multidisciplinary space laboratory in the European module International Space Station.

The creation of the Declaration was a challenging 2-year task that began with a thick 400-page outline. Not surprisingly, Eleanor Roosevelt was heavily involved as she was the Chair of the Human Rights Commission during the organization’s infancy. Eleanor demanded:

Where, after all, do universal human rights begin? In small places, close to home [OK, space isn't close to home for most people, but even so, I'm sure she wouldn't disagree with today's symbolic launch...]– so close and so small that they cannot be seen on any maps of the world. Yet they are the world of the individual person; the neighbourhood 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 concerned citizen action to uphold them close to home, we shall look in vain for progress in the larger world.

It’s a coincidence that last night I attended an Eleanor Roosevelt Legacy Committee event: a discussion with Ruth Gruber, now in her 90’s, who showed a trailer of her up-coming film and recounted stories of her friendship with Eleanor — recalling in particular Eleanor’s dedication to refugees. Eleanor’s legacy certainly does continue (and there will soon be a documentary film debut about the life of Ruth Gruber, so those of you who were not at the meeting last night will be able to get the inside scoop from Ruth).

On Dec. 10, 1948 the 58 United Nations Member States officially adopted the Declaration. The pen may or may not be mightier than the sword…although the Declaration has not been able to preserve all the rights of all humans, it certainly made for a good start to a continuing battle for equality and justice for everyone.

Because the document is going to space, however, I do believe it should be edited to include non-humans. Surely the alien life forms that we are looking for ought to have a few rights, too?

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