Inherent dignity, equal and inalienable rights, freedom, justice and peace in the world. Whichever religious traditions we may or may not have grown up with, we are taught that these morals are the highest to live by.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights resonates in many forms of religious traditions without mentioning any higher being in its text, and this was cause for celebration last Friday night of the 62nd anniversary of its signing at the Martha’s Vineyard Hebrew Center.

Rabbi Caryn Broitman, the Rev. Rob Hensley of Grace Episcopal Church and the Rev. Cathlin Baker of the West Tisbury Congregational Church spoke of the common ties among the three religions as seen through the declaration.

On Dec. 10, 1948, the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted the declaration without a single dissenting vote, and it is now one of the most translated texts in the world.

“This declaration doesn’t mention God or any particular religious language and for that it could be a sacred document for those that don’t have a belief in a particular religion or it could be speaking to people who have religions,” Mrs. Broitman said. “For me it’s a very religious document in the sense that it really articulates the deepest foundational values of Judaism.”

Mrs. Broitman spoke of the major principles of Judaism, including human dignity, universal moral standards and justice and social responsibility. But within those principles are inherent conflicts, similar to those seen within the declaration.

“There is a tension in the commission in ideas of individual freedoms and liberties versus obligations to the group,” Mrs. Broitman said. “The beauty of this document is it really integrates both and not just in a hodgepodge way; it really has a sense of interdependence so that the dignity of the individual freedoms are recognized but also the idea that the individual is part of a larger society,” she added, concluding:

“There are obligations as well as rights and that debate continues to be played out in our society in all the political questions we’re facing today.”

Mr. Hensley spoke of the timelessness of the declaration, and related it back to his youth group discussing the Millennium Development Goals, which hold similar principles.

“I’m always amazed at interfaith gatherings; those things we hold in common are more profound than the minor things that separate us from one another,” he began. “We are realizing the potential we have as a group to fight poverty, disease and injustice . . . We also find that God is up to some earth-shaking changes; we want to be a part of it all and we know we are not all of it, we know we are not in charge of it.”

Mr. Hensley noted the problems facing the Island today, including, but not limited to, the increasing discrimination against the Brazilian population. Many who attended the service asked what they could do on the Vineyard.

“You can make no peace with oppression and I think we can confront oppression right here when we see it,” he said. “It’s lived out every day, primarily toward the Brazilian community. I’m not silent when I hear someone say something that denigrates another group of other people.”

Ms. Baker spoke of her work with poor families in Philadelphia and New York city and how it led her to the influence of the declaration on human rights.

“How do we make the [declaration] real in our lives now and what are we supposed to be doing on Martha’s Vineyard with this incredible document?” Ms. Baker asked the audience. “It’s a common language; when you don’t speak Portuguese you can at least talk about the [declaration]. It brings us together across religious traditions. It helped us to move from looking from incremental policy change and really work toward a vision.”

Eleanor Roosevelt, who led the commission establishing the declaration, championed the original vision; Ms. Baker encouraged Islanders to follow in her footsteps.

“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams,” she said quoting the former first lady. “I think the [declaration] presents us with a beautiful dream and the future is ours.”