Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 101 Part 1.djvu/575

 PUBLIC LAW 100-82—AUG. 4, 1987

101 STAT. 545

Public Law 100-82 100th Congress Joint Resolution To designate August 1, 1987, as "Helsinki Human Rights Day".

Wheregis August 1, 1987, will be the twelfth anniversary of the signing of the Final Act of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (hereafter in this preamble referred to as the "Helsinki Accords"); Whereas on August 1, 1975, the Helsinki Accords were agreed to by the Governments of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Cyprus, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Finland, France, the German Democratic Republic, the Federal Republic of Germany, Greece, the Holy See, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and Yugoslavia; Whereas the participating States have committed themselves to balanced progress in all areas of the Helsinki Accords; Whereas the Helsinki Accords express the commitment of the participating States to "recognize the universal significance of human rights and fundamental freedoms, respect for which is an essential factor for the peace, justice and well-being necessary to ensure the development of friendly relations and cooperation among themselves as among all States"; Whereas the Helsinki Accords also express the commitment of the participating States to "respect human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief, for all without distinction as to race, sex, language or religion"; Whereas the Helsinki Accords also express the commitment of the participating States to "promote and encourage the effective exercise of civil, political, economic, social, cultural and other rights and freedoms all of which derive from the inherent dignity of the human person and are essential for his free and full development"; Whereas the Helsinki Accords also express the commitment of the participating States to "recognize and respect the freedom of the individual to profess and practise, alone or in community with others, religion or belief acting in accordance with the dictates of his own conscience"; Whereas the Helsinki Accords also express the commitment of the participating States in whose territory national minorities exist to 'respect the right of persons belonging to such minorities to equality before the law and that such States "will afford them the full opportunity for the actual enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms and will, in this manner, protect their legitimate interests in this sphere"; Whereas the Helsinki Accords also express the commitment of the participating States to "constantly respect these rights and free-

Aug. 4, 1987 [S.J. Res. 151]

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