Title: Towards a Universal Ethos

Author: Lindsay Mell, Community Engagement Coordinator, United Nations Association of Australia (New South Wales)

Abstract: Museums are famous as the home of often legendary documents, whether preserved in their original forms, or as authentic copies, or on-line for reference purposes.
These documents tend to comprise the forms of ideals which inevitably inform their espoused values as such legendary works.
Considered as such a comprehensive expansive legendary document, among the abundant benefits of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) is that it consists of relevant quality dimensions, as well as general value aspirations.
Correspondingly, it would seem the UDHR could encompass a contemporary statement of Universal Ethos, implicit already in its parameters, yet necessary to enable a global dimension of principles based on essential equity, or 'fairness', to prevail.
We are no longer the kind of universal culture and society we were at the inception of the UDHR in 1948.
So how can we adequately document who we've become?
A broad statement of Universal Ethos could be a viable and feasible beginning.
Moreover, since Universal Ethos perspectives clearly are relevant and resonant for documentary research in any form, it would seem this would particularly apply relative to the Peace Museums context.

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwBb62cyJo8