On the occasion of the Second International Conference “Universality of Human Rights for the Transition toward the Rule of Law and the Affirmation of the Right to Know” the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, sent a message to the Project Coordinator, Matteo Angioli:
“Recognizing and affirming fundamental human rights is an ongoing commitment, one that requires intelligence and passion, on all continents and at all latitudes—even in societies that have placed the principles of freedom, equality, and equal dignity among persons at the foundations of their legal systems. These achievements are never acquired once and for all; they must be continually realized and kept alive.
For these reasons, the initiative of the Radical Party and the other organizers of the Second International Conference on ‘Universality of Human Rights for the Transition toward the Rule of Law and the Affirmation of the Right to Knowledge’ is particularly commendable, and I extend to it my cordial encouragement. The conference program closely connects the theme of law with that of peace. This is certainly one of the decisive crossroads of our time. There will be no easing of tensions among states, nor will we succeed in averting war, terrorism, and oppression, unless we make an effort to build a world order founded on shared human values and not solely on power politics or spheres of influence.
A legal order grounded in inviolable rights and in the integral development of the person is an indispensable lever for peace—a lever that must be placed at the service of dialogue among peoples. It is truly difficult to imagine that the principles of the rule of law and democracy can be exported at the point of bayonets. The work of building a network of supranational law requires patience, coherence, good example, cooperation, and respect for cultures and religions.
Where social fractures and fears grow, where the economy produces exclusion rather than inclusion, the risk of every regression lies in wait. We must place our bet on dialogue and on law. We must invest in a culture of legality.
I wish all the speakers, and all those who will carry forward the research initiated by this conference, fruitful work. There is a work of knowledge that must never be interrupted and that is intimately connected with political action. Knowledge—and the right to know—is an emerging theme of our time, one that deserves attention at the level of the United Nations system itself. We live in an age of globalization and rapid information, apparently without borders. New networks and social media are extraordinary tools with enormous democratic potential, but at the same time we must not forget that global information can fall prey to temptations of renewed Machiavellianism.
This is another frontier of justice and law to be explored with civic passion and a forward-looking perspective. I trust that your dialogue will contribute to the public debate on these issues at the international level and to the consequent growth of civic life.”