Since the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948), there has been a developing group of thoughtful and humane documents affirming human rights in general and freedom of religion and conscience in particular. The writing of one more document in this process stands as an indictment of human nature: several decades of serious moral discussion has not yet had the needed impact on our behavior. We must carefully heed the call of the Charter to implement and cultivate these principles within the global public square. The alternative is continuing violence or even a clash of civilizations; let us listen and learn.