The Eleanor Roosevelt Papers, Digital Edition > My Day
My Day by Eleanor Roosevelt

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LONDON—The interest of the Assembly delegates has been centered in the Security Council meetings, and everywhere you go in London, you hear them being discussed. I am very happy to find that the general feeling agrees with my own. There is a great sense of relief that questions which might ordinarily seethe under the surface and never be discussed openly are now being considered by all nations. Difficulties between people or nations that are not talked out create a potential bitter feeling of injustice on all sides.

* * *

The women working in the United Nations Organization met the other day to sign an appeal addressed to the women of every country in the world and to their governments as well. We think it is very important, and so I am quoting from it here:

"This first Assembly of the United Nations marks the second attempt of the peoples of the world to live peaceably in a democratic world community. This new chance for peace was won through the joint efforts of men and women working for common ideals of human freedom at a time when the need for united effort broke down barriers of race, creed and sex.

"In view of the variety of tasks which women performed so notably and valiantly during the war, we are gratified that 18 women delegates and advisers are representatives from 11 of the member states taking part in the beginning of this new phase of international effort. We hope their participation in the work of the United Nations Organization may grow and may increase in insight and skill. To this end, we call on the governments of the world to encourage women everywhere to take a more conscious part in national and international affairs, and on women to come forward and share in the work of peace and reconstruction as they did in the war and resistance.

"We recognize that women in various parts of the world are at different stages of participation in the life of their communities, that some of them are prevented by law from assuming the full rights of citizenship, and that they may therefore see their immediate problems somewhat differently.

"Finding ourselves in agreement on these points, we wish as a group to advise the women of all our countries of our strong belief that an important opportunity and responsibility confronts the women of the United Nations:—

"1—To recognize the progress women made during the war and to participate actively in an effort to improve their standard of life in their countries, and participate in the work of reconstruction so that there will be qualified women ready to accept responsibility when new opportunities arise.

"2—To train their children, boys and girls alike, to understand world problems and the need for international cooperation....

"3—Not to permit themselves to be misled by anti-democratic movements now or in the future.

"4—To recognize that the goal of full participation in the life and responsibilities of their countries and of the world community is a common objective toward which the women of the world should assist one another."

I think you may be interested in a letter to the London Times about the Charter Club, which performed an excellent wartime service in bringing together soldiers of various nations, and whose sponsors now have plans for expanding it in the interests of peace and world unity. The letter to the Times says in part:

"It is now proposed not only to continue forming branch clubs in towns throughout the world, but also to build at least one international center called the Charter College, where young leaders from many nations may get to know each other and learn how to build a new world of friends.

"This college will concentrate on those universal interests which unite mankind—arts, sports, science and civics. This does not mean that dilettantism will be encouraged or that the students will be fiddling whilst the world is suffering. On the contrary, it means that the vision of great artists, scientists and philosophers, together with 'good sportsmanship,' will be recognized not only as qualities of one living spirit shared by all mankind, but also as essential to the building of lasting and progressive peace.

"It is hoped that a sufficient sum will be forthcoming to make this college a not unworthy War Memorial of the United Nations."

E.R.

(WORLD COPYRIGHT, 1946, BY UNITED FEATURE SYNDICATE, INC.; REPRODUCTION IN WHOLE OR PART PROHIBITED.)


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About this document

My Day by Eleanor Roosevelt, February 8, 1946

Roosevelt, Eleanor, 1884-1962
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Digital edition created by The Eleanor Roosevelt Papers Project The George Washington University 312 Academic Building 2100 Foxhall Road, NW Washington, DC 20007

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Transcription created from a photocopy of a UFS wire copy of a My Day column instance archived at the Franklin D. Roosevelt Library.
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