World Dignity University (WDU) Initiative

HumanDHS is primarily grounded in academic work. We are independent of any religious or political agenda. However, we wish to bring academic work into "real life." Our research focuses on topics such as dignity (with humiliation as its violation), or, more precisely, on respect for equal dignity for all human beings in the world. This is not only our research topic, but also our core value, in line with Article 1 of the Human Rights Declaration that states that every human being is born with equal dignity (that ought not be humiliated). We agree with Shibley Telhami, Anwar Sadat Professor for Peace and Development, who advocates the building of bridges from academia as follows, "I have always believed that good scholarship can be relevant and consequential for public policy. It is possible to affect public policy without being an advocate; to be passionate about peace without losing analytical rigor; to be moved by what is just while conceding that no one has a monopoly on justice." We would like to add that we believe that good scholarship can be relevant and consequential not only for public policy, but for raising awareness in general.

Our World Dignity University initiative has evolved to the extent that it has become more than one initiative among others. It has become a core effort of our HumanDHS network. To learn more, see our Education branch. Global interconnectedness forces humankind to face its global challenges, both ecological and social, as a shared responsibility that has to be shouldered jointly. The consequences of global interconnectedness will punish all, if conceptualization of the world are preserved that entail the hope that independent national entities can survive as isolated "islands."
Our aim is therefore to invite academics around the world into the notion that they carry a joint responsibility to lead the world away from deepening divides that might cost us our survival in times when only global cooperation can overcome the global problems that we have.
Why is there not a World University dedicated to the human rights ideal that all humans deserve to live dignified lives? Such a World University should exist, and, ideally, connect all national universities. Academic freedom ought to be exercised globally and not harnessed into national interests.