The objective of ICHD shall be:

• To promote international understanding of the concepts of the Trieste Declaration of Human Duties and to foster throughout the world the application of these concepts.
• To enter into relations with the United Nations, its agencies and with national Governments for the implementation of the goals of ICHD, and to cooperate with non-governmental international, national and regional bodies whose aims are consonant with those of ICHD.
• To encourage the adoption by the United Nations of a " Universal Declaration of Human Duties " with comparable stature to the " Universal Declaration of Human Rights ". To promote the establishment of a " Human Duties Day ".
• To stimulate, design, co-ordinate and participate in the implementation of international programmes related to the concepts of the Trieste Declaration of Human Duties.
• To arrange, promote and sponsor World Congresses of the ICHD and such other meetings as may be useful or desirable for the advancement of the purposes of the ICHD.
• To encourage the formation of national associations for the dissemination of the information of the concepts of ICHD.
• To actively uphold the principles of universality of the concepts of the Trieste Declaration of Human Duties.

Crucial problems concering humanking at the dawn of the 21st century urge the adoption of a different way of thinking and a different value system. The change must be as revolutionary as that which emerged after the Middle Ages. The new way of thinking must be centered on humans as an integral part of our planet, whose actions affect all living things. It is our plan to present and discuss these ideas through conferences, workshops and lectures, and in particolar to support women's networks, and other organizations, active in the spirit of this Declaration. Furthermore, we will seek the participation of the youger generations, which represent our greatest hope for improving the quality of life on earth.

Whereas the Declaration of Human Rights represents one of the great advances of the twentieth century, it failes to address Human Duties and Responsibilities as necessary counterparts of these Rights. Recognition of and respect for human rights demand the acceptance of specific duties, in order to assure an adeguate quality of life for all people and the persistence of a sustainable enviroment for future generations. We, founding members of the International Concil of Human Duties, consider a binding responsibility for ourselves, not only as human beings, but especially as scientists and educators, to carefully and explicity carry out these duties to the best of our ability, even if their enactment may run counter to estabilished policies generated by traditional sources of power and influence. We herewith invite all people concerned with these issues to join us in. 
 
 

IT IS THE DUTY OF EVERY HUMAN BEING TO:

1. respect human dignity as well as ethnic, cultural and religious diversity.
2. work against racial injustice and all discrimination of women, and the abuse and exploitation of children.
3. work for improvement in the quality of life of aged and disabled perrsons.
4. respect human life and condemn the sale of human beings or parts of the living human body.
5. support efforts to improve the life of people suffering from hunger, misery, disease and unemployment.
6. promote effective voluntary family planning in order to regulate world population growth.
7. support actions for an equitable distribution of world resources.
8. avoid energy waste and work for reduction of the use of fossil fuels. Promote the use of inexhaustible energy sources, representing a minimum of environmental and health risks.
9. protect nature from pollution and abuse, promote conservation of natural resources and the restoration of degraded environments.
10. respect and preserve the genetic diversity of living organisms and promote constant scrutiny of the application of genetic technologies.
11. promote improvement of urban and rural regions and support endeavours to eliminate the causes of environmental destruction and impoverishment which can lead to massive migrations of people and over-population in urban areas.
12. work for mantenance of world peace, condemn war, terrorism and other hostile activities by calling for decrease military spending in all countries and restriction of the proliferation and dissemination of arms, in particular, weapons of mass destruction.