• Poster of the UU Principles and/or Handout 1, UU Principles
• Poster of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and/or Handout 2, Universal Declaration of Human Rights

• Secure a copy of and become familiar with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Place the posters where participants can gather around and read them.
• Photocopy Handouts 1, Unitarian Universalist Principles, and 2, Universal Declaration of Human Rights, one for each participant.

Say that the word "universal" makes some people think first of conditions on earth instead of conditions in heaven. In fact, in 1948, the United Nations (UN) issued something called the "Universal Declaration of Human Rights." This document says everybody on earth has the same very basic rights. Today the United Nations and many individuals, including many UUs, are still trying hard to make sure that everybody is treated justly and equally. The world still has a long way to go before this becomes true, but at least many people feel called to keep trying.

Now the class will compare two posters (or handouts), one that shows the Declaration of Human Rights and one that shows the UU Principles.

Ask the youth to go to the posters and look at them carefully. How are they alike? How are they different? Do you think that the people who wrote the UU Principles thought about what the UN Declaration said?

Place posters so all youth can easily reach them, including those with limited mobility. If you use handouts and have participants with limited reading skills, allow pairs of youth to work together.