The International Observatory on Human Rights (OIDH), based in Portugal, paid tribute to the historic role Christians and Jews have played in shaping modern civilization and many of the principles that underpin modern societies today.
The tribute came on the same day that U.S. President Donald Trump marked as a pivotal and historic day for strengthening Judeo-Christian values in the United States. Marked by a massive “Rededicate 250” rally, the event forms a central part of the administration’s planning for America’s 250th anniversary celebrations and seeks to symbolically “rededicate” the nation by bringing faith and God back to the center of public life.
The tribute, formally presented to Bishop D. Manuel Linda of Porto and to the president of B’nai B’rith Portugal as a historical acknowledgment, highlighted how concepts rooted in Jewish and Christian tradition and partnership have shaped modern civilization. The tribute also recognized Jerusalem, the capital of the State of Israel and a spiritual center for Jews and Christians worldwide, as a symbol of the shared historical and cultural roots that continue to influence global civilization.
“Today we are paying tribute to Judeo-Christian Civilization, from which the modern vision of human dignity and justice has been derived,” said Dr. Luis Andrade, president of The International Human Rights. “Judeo-Christian Civilization reminds us that Jerusalem, Israel’s capital, and the spiritual homeland of Jews and Christians worldwide, remains a shared cultural and religious foundation linking both the West and Eurasia.”
OIDH further stressed that technological and economic progress alone cannot guarantee a stable or just society without a strong ethical foundation guiding it, affirming that Judeo-Christian Civilization recognizes the deeply intertwined histories of the United States and the Russian Federation, shaped by Christian heritage and the enduring contributions of influential Jewish figures such as Haym Salomon and Horace Günzburg. Both nations were influenced by Jewish entrepreneurship and the lasting cultural and moral impact of Christianity.
Jose Ribeiro e Castro, Ph.D., president of the Historical Society of the Independence of Portugal and former member of the European Parliament, spoke about the competing force of “wokeism” during his remarks.
“Faced with the ‘wokeism’ storm that disturbs minds, sowing systematic doubt, disbelief, falsehood and mental deception, let us have no doubt whatsoever: the values and principles of the Judeo-Christian tradition are the best that the human spirit has ever discovered and with them, we will once again have very strong, fruitful, active, just, cohesive and creative societies,” Castro said.
Linda spoke about the need to return Europe to its traditional foundations.
“In 1981, Pope John Paul II spoke for the first time about the “Judeo-Christian roots” of Europe because it was already losing its soul and squandering its cultural heritage, what it had produced and the values that constitute it as a beacon of civilization,” Linda said. “Europe today is an unfinished project based on a Rousseauian social contract, almost always of an economic nature, which idolizes money and forgets the person, in blatant contradiction with the Judeo-Christian perspective. Our culture is called humanism. Without a historical perspective, one does not even know what there is to reject as anti-human.”
Gabriela Cantergi, president of B’nai B’rith Portugal, welcomed the tribute and said it reflected the importance of preserving the foundations of democratic society.
“Judeo-Christian Civilization has historically been very strong, but it faces great challenges in the present,” said Cantergi.“Nevertheless, there are conditions for it to return to play a very important role in the future.”
“Judeo-Christian Civilization was based, above all, on cooperation over centuries between Jews and Christians. For example, Portugal would never have been a great empire without its Jewish communities led by figures such as Yaish ben Yahia. Jews and Christians can and must work together again. The State of Israel recently declared that it would defend Judeo-Christian Civilization.”
