document_title: List of Backstage episodes

question_text: when did season 2 of backstage come out

question_tokens: when did season 2 of backstage come out

text: List of Backstage episodes

text: Series overview[edit]

text:
Season
Episodes
Originally aired

First aired
Last aired

1
30
March 18, 2016 (2016-03-18)
September 30, 2016 (2016-09-30) (U.S.)

2
30[1]
July 28, 2017 (2017-07-28) (UK)
September 30, 2017 (2017-09-30) (U.S., Netflix)

tag: table

text: Episodes[edit]

text: Season 1 (2016)[edit]

text:
No.
overall
No. in
season
Title [2][3]
Directed by
Written by
Canadian air date
U.S. air date [2][3]
U.S. viewers
(millions)

1
1
"The First Day"
RT!
Lara Azzopardi
March 18, 2016 (2016-03-18)
March 25, 2016
1.23[4]

It is the first day at Keaton for a group of ninth graders, including dance students and best friends Carly and Vanessa, and music students Jax, Miles and Alya. They get a welcome plus a first lesson on the difficulties they will experience at the prestigious arts school. Carly and Vanessa meet a tenth grader, Sasha, a dance student who has taken their teacher Helsweel's class before and helps the two freshmen get through their first day with Helsweel. After the dance auditions, Helsweel selects Vanessa to train with the Primas, an elite group of fourth-year dance students. Meanwhile, Alya's late arrival to class prompts music teacher Park to choose her to showcase her singing, but she freezes and it leads a fellow student, Bianca, to quickly pass judgment on her. Bianca's negative comments eventually become enough for Alya to contemplate quitting after the first day, but Miles persuades her not to after he had heard her sing. Alya regains her confidence and gets another chance to perform her song in class. Also, Jax struggles with his music assignment as he is not used to the equipment he and his partner Kit are using.
Guest star: Madison MacGregor (Cassandra)

2
2
"Groups of Two"
RT!
Jennifer Pertsch
March 25, 2016 (2016-03-25)
April 1, 2016
1.12[5]

Helsweel assigns the dance students their partners; among them, Carly is paired with Sasha while Vanessa is paired with Jenna. Carly's jealousy over Vanessa's joining the Primas spills over after she sees Vanessa showing Jenna a familiar dance move. Scarlett mentors some freshmen in the music program, and has Bianca and Alya roleplay in an audition, where Bianca continues to intimidate Alya. Scarlett helps Alya see that no one is perfect, even Bianca, and gives Alya some tips on how to overcome Bianca's teasing. Meanwhile, Jax is upset over Park's special treatment of Miles, but when Miles leaves behind his phone, Jax snoops and finds something suspicious on it, promptly reporting it to Park.
Absent: Romy Weltman as Kit, Isiah Hall as Denzel, Kyal Legend as Julie

3
3
"The Brightside"
Warren P. Sonoda
Jennifer Pertsch
April 1, 2016 (2016-04-01)
April 8, 2016
1.25[6]

It is orientation day for the freshmen. As organizer, Julie hopes it will go well, but Scarlett believes it to be a waste of time, especially with the uninspiring ideas Julie has to involve the freshmen. Jax continues to wonder why Miles is being treated as a teacher's pet; after the two pair up for a class assignment, Miles attempts to show Jax that he does not want the special treatment. They skip the orientation and get caught by Park, who gives them both detention. Meanwhile, at the orientation, only five people show up initially, including Carly and Vanessa, who are still fighting. While Julie rounds up more freshmen, the two girls get heated again which causes Julie to change her approach for the orientation, turning it into a fun dance-off. It allows Carly and Vanessa to realize the pettiness of their arguing, and they let it go. As for the two serving detention for not going to orientation, Jax stumbles across a prescription medication Miles is taking, and while Miles gets it back from him without saying anything, Jax is able to put things together—Miles is sick.
Absent: Jane Moffat as Helsweel

4
4
"Stand Tall"
Warren P. Sonoda
Matt Schiller
April 8, 2016 (2016-04-08)
April 15, 2016
1.07[7]

Vanessa gets a chance to dance with the Primas after another dancer gets sick. She asks Carly for help but gets sick herself due to the immensity of this opportunity. Despite the setback, she goes forward with her dance, performing it while sick, and gets respect from the Primas.... Park challenges his students to interpret an instrumental song and make it their own. Bianca struggles with the assignment and decides to get help from Alya; the two work on introducing lyrics to the song. As this was intended to be an individual assignment, Bianca fails to give any credit to Alya after presenting her version to the class.... When Julie looks for someone to mentor in the art program, Denzel goes in a different direction with his art to impress her. He blows his chance because his new works lack an important ingredient—him.
Guest star: Madison MacGregor
Absent: Mckenzie Small as Scarlett, Jane Moffat as Helsweel

5
5
"Take Me Out"
Wendy Morgan
Matt Schiller
April 15, 2016 (2016-04-15)
April 29, 2016
1.18[8]

Principal Durani puts Miles in charge of an activity to bring the disciplines together at Keaton, so Miles organizes a baseball team. Jax signs up to help him out, and Miles gives Jax pointers on playing the game, for a musician who is classically trained and had little time for the sport.... Carly is worried Sasha is developing feelings for her and how it will interfere with their dancing. Vanessa thinks the two are in love with each other, but Carly denies it. She contemplates switching partners, but Helsweel denies Carly's request and gives her advice about being a true dancer, including being honest with herself.... Park gives Denzel and Kit the task of producing one of Scarlett's songs. Differences in how Scarlett should sing it lead to her walking out on the session. When Denzel and Kit lack enough material for a satisfactory track, Kit persuades Scarlett to come back, and the three work together to get the assignment done. Afterward, Denzel overhears Kit and Scarlett talking about something they are doing later and is blown away when Kit reveals Scarlett is her sister, albeit by adoption.
Guest star: Dewshane Williams (Principal Durani)
Absent: Kyal Legend as Julie

6
6
"Dig Deeper"
Wendy Morgan
Kate Hewlett
April 22, 2016 (2016-04-22)
May 6, 2016
0.85[9]

In her "movement for non-movers" class, Scarlett is assigned to observe Julie and do a movement piece based on what she sees. When Scarlett discovers she was the subject of Julie's movement in the class, she becomes more focused to do her assignment, but when her movement includes wearing a school uniform only Julie is supposed to know about, Julie is forced to reveal a shocking secret to Scarlett.... Miles and Alya pair up for their mid-term duet assignment. Not pleased with Miles' shallow songwriting, Alya is hesitant to mention it to him at first, but after she finally gives him the criticism, it prompts Miles to go with something deeper. He comes up with a song expressing the precious nature of life.... Carly is going on her first date with Sasha, who is taking her to see Shawn Mendes, which includes backstage passes. However, the concert conflicts with the nine-year anniversary of the day Carly and Vanessa became friends. Although Vanessa is disappointed she will not be with Carly for much of their special day, she realizes the importance of Carly and Sasha being together for this occasion.
Guest star: Madison MacGregor
Absent: Adrianna Di Liello as Jenna, Romy Weltman as Kit, Isiah Hall as Denzel, Jane Moffat as Helsweel

7
7
"In Their Shoes"
Director X
Kate Hewlett
April 29, 2016 (2016-04-29)
May 13, 2016
1.11[10]

Jax helps Miles with writing three songs for a radio contest, but with the deadline only days away, Jax finds the task unrealistic and is concerned about Miles' health under this kind of pressure. When Jax suggests postponing the project, it slips out that he knows Miles is sick and Miles gets upset. Eventually, the immense work load and stress take its toll and Miles collapses. After he recovers, Miles decides to not hide his illness anymore, revealing to Jax and Alya that he is on a kidney transplant list.... Helsweel reminds the dancers of their mid-term, auditioning for the dance show taking place at the end of the semester. She expects Vanessa to sign up for the lead role of Cinderella, so Vanessa does, while Sasha encourages Carly to try out for the lead as well. As the two girls prepare to dance with Sasha, who is going to be the prince in the show, Vanessa feels Carly has a huge advantage being Sasha's partner, but Carly throws her dance to give Vanessa the part.... Julie is in need of recycled materials for her art project and Scarlett offers to help. They unknowingly come across Cassandra's lost ballet shoes, which Scarlett thought were discarded. Cassandra wants compensation for the shoes, but Julie manages to repair them.
Guest star: Madison MacGregor
Absent: Julia Tomasone as Bianca, Romy Weltman as Kit, Isiah Hall as Denzel, Chris Hoffman as Park

8
8
"On Deck"
Director X
Scott Oleszkowicz
May 6, 2016 (2016-05-06)
May 20, 2016
1.21[11]

Bianca's mother comes to Keaton to cast a singer for a huge musical, and Bianca and Alya are among those trying out for the part. When Bianca sees Alya is frightened about freezing during her audition, Bianca decides to help her gain confidence even though she is sure Alya will fail. Right before her turn, Alya is still feeling anxious, but she ends up nailing the audition.... Denzel is designing Sasha's costume for the dance show, but Sasha is uncomfortable with the way the pants fit and needs them adjusted. Unfortunately, he has to attend a rehearsal right away, wearing the pants, and experiences a humiliating moment while extending his body.... When Jax and Kit argue the merits of the popular DJ Diamondmind, they decide to face off in a battle of their music samples but agree to use original tracks. Jax's curiosity about where Kit gets her samples motivates him to steal her USB drive containing them when she steps away briefly. Once the face-off happens and gets heated, Jax discovers one of Kit's tracks is actually from Diamondmind.
Guest star: Carly Street (Mrs. Blackwell – Bianca's mother)
Absent: Adrianna Di Liello as Jenna, Mckenzie Small as Scarlett, Kyal Legend as Julie, Chris Hoffman as Park, Jane Moffat as Helsweel

9
9
"Sotto Voce"
RT!
Scott Oleszkowicz
May 13, 2016 (2016-05-13)
June 3, 2016
1.31[12]

Upon hearing about Kit's music samples at the deejay battle, Principal Durani discovers other samples Kit submitted for her Keaton audition are also identical to those of DJ Diamondmind and expels her for plagiarism. As she gets ready to leave, she confronts Jax but during their altercation, she unintentionally reveals she is Diamondmind. Kit does not want everyone else to know this, including the principal, so she, Jax and Scarlett come up with a plan to let her stay at Keaton while keeping her identity secret.... Helsweel finds Vanessa's dance chemistry with Sasha to be subpar, so Vanessa looks to Carly for help on improving her dancing. While training with Carly, Vanessa injures her ankle but does not let on that she is hurt, even in another rehearsal with Sasha.... Miles and Julie fight over use of an audio room to work on their assignments. When their bickering gets them nowhere, Miles offers to help Julie with her project, and in turn, Julie offers to help Miles with his.
Guest star: Dewshane Williams
Absent: Aviva Mongillo as Alya, Julia Tomasone as Bianca, Isiah Hall as Denzel

10
10
"The Understudy"
RT!
Lauren Gosnell
May 20, 2016 (2016-05-20)
June 10, 2016
1.14[13]

Alya gains unexpected popularity for the role she recently landed in Da Bohème, even before the musical's premiere, and is learning how to deal with the fame around a jealous Bianca. After a poster advertising her role gets vandalized, Alya berates Bianca for the mischief and then regrets it when Miles admits he was the one behind the act, as a joke.... Helsweel introduces the dance class to a famous alumnus of Keaton, Maria Schiller, who plans to work with the class as their upcoming dance show nears. Sasha feels the cold shoulder Carly has been giving him and wonders where he stands with her, so as Maria evaluates the class, Sasha arranges to dance with Carly instead of Vanessa. Maria praises their dancing but is astonished Carly is only the understudy.... Scarlett is worried she is developing nodes. While relaxing her voice, she notices how easily Denzel picks up her gestures and asks him to be her interpreter. After Scarlett finds out her voice is fine and starts talking again, she needs reminding how much Denzel helped her and to be grateful.
Guest star: Pippa Leslie (Maria Schiller)
Absent: Matthew Isen as Jax, Adrianna Di Liello as Jenna, Chris Hoffman as Park

11
11
"Lose Yourself"
Warren P. Sonoda
Lauren Gosnell
May 27, 2016 (2016-05-27)
June 17, 2016
1.26[14]

When Julie uses school property for her latest art project, Principal Durani deems it vandalism and wants her to dismantle the work. Julie sees this as an attack on her artistic freedom and organizes a protest, which Durani swiftly ends. He then decides to contact Julie's parents—who are unaware their daughter is attending Keaton—but he is unable to reach them; he becomes more suspicious when he finds no information about them on file.... With the dance class focused on their mid-term routines, Maria has the class doing some different, uplifting choreography, but it upsets Vanessa. It turns out Maria is trying to help Vanessa loosen up and recapture her love for dancing, amid the pressure she is feeling as the lead.... A low mark Bianca received on an assignment leaves her unmotivated to work with Jax on their current project. Jax senses she needs a break and has her go outside the classroom to write lyrics. She gets frustrated over it and decides she is going to fail her assignment with Jax, but when she discovers Denzel found and liked one of her discarded sets of lyrics, it raises her spirits.
Guest stars: Pippa Leslie, Dewshane Williams
Absent: Josh Bogert as Miles, Aviva Mongillo as Alya, Romy Weltman as Kit, Chris Hoffman as Park, Jane Moffat as Helsweel

12
12
"Plays Well with Others"
Warren P. Sonoda
Jennifer Pertsch
June 3, 2016 (2016-06-03)
July 10, 2016
1.03[15]

Cassandra feels Vanessa is being held back in her training with the Primas. Vanessa's nagging ankle injury is one of those hurdles, but she keeps that from Cassandra and instead talks about friend issues. This leads Cassandra to talk to Carly, effectively keeping her from spending time with Vanessa, but when Vanessa finds out and stands up for Carly, Cassandra dismisses her from the Primas.... Park gets the music class involved in a cappella groups, though Scarlett is uncomfortable with the idea. With Kit's help, she puts together an effort blending her vocals to sound like a group, confident Park will be impressed. Park listens to her production but gives Scarlett a lesson on how the group provides something to a song she cannot by herself.... Miles wants to ask Julie out and needs Jax's help. They hack into Julie's computer so Miles can deliver his message, except when he identifies himself as "Miles", Julie is clueless. The apparent rejection allows Alya to ask him out, and Miles accepts, but when Julie eventually figures Miles was the one who sent the message to her computer, she is flattered and the two agree to date after mid-terms. As this happens right in front of Alya, it leaves her betrayed.
Guest star: Madison MacGregor
Absent: Julia Tomasone as Bianca, Adrianna Di Liello as Jenna, Colin Petierre as Sasha, Isiah Hall as Denzel, Jane Moffat as Helsweel

13
13
"Hold On"
Mario Azzopardi
Matt Schiller
June 10, 2016 (2016-06-10)
July 17, 2016
0.86[16]

Carly feels guilty about Vanessa getting kicked out of the Primas and wants to help her, but when Jenna capitalizes on Vanessa's misery by taking her spot in dance class, Carly gets revenge. This causes turmoil during rehearsal, and Helsweel gives Carly, Jenna and Vanessa detention, where each is put through intense dance drills. It is the last thing Vanessa needs with her injured ankle, which is getting worse.... Denzel's 14th birthday is coming up, and he feels he has not achieved extraordinary feats as an artist in his young life to this point. Kit tries to cheer him up, and reminds him that many famous people became successful later in life. She also gives him the opportunity to design the cover art for the next DJ Diamondmind single.... After finding random pieces of lyrical poetry scattered around school, the music class wonders who the "yellow pad poet" is, and Bianca tries admitting she is that poet, to their disbelief. Jax is aware she is, since he gave her a yellow pad to inspire her for their duet assignment, which happens to be due. With Park preparing to hear their presentation, Bianca fears the worst about her lyrics, but Jax finds a way to make it work.
Absent: Kyal Legend as Julie

14
14
"Twelve Hours to Showtime"
Mario Azzopardi
Lara Azzopardi
June 17, 2016 (2016-06-17)
July 24, 2016
1.35[17]

When Carly sees Vanessa in pain following a final rehearsal before the mid-term show, Vanessa is forced to come clean to Carly about her ankle injury. Sasha finds out as well after he notices Carly looking up information about the injury on her phone, and they both agree Vanessa should not dance in the show. Realizing how far she has come, Vanessa is not about to give up on her moment and traps Carly in the locker room to prevent her from informing a teacher about the injury.... Denzel tells Julie that no one from his family is coming to the dance show. Julie discovers Denzel actually never asked his parents and encourages him to invite them, to show them how talented he is as the show's costume designer.... With Alya enjoying the opening night success of Da Bohème, Miles feels she is unprepared for their mid-term duet assignment, particularly after she forgets words to the song they are performing. Miles asks Park for an extension, claiming health-related setbacks. Alya is not pleased with what Miles did, and neither is Park, who finds out from Miles' mother that he has been fine and thus expects Miles and Alya to be ready with their duet during the dance show's intermission.
Guest star: Pippa Leslie
Absent: Julia Tomasone as Bianca, Romy Weltman as Kit

15
15
"Showtime"
Director X
Lara Azzopardi
June 24, 2016 (2016-06-24)
July 31, 2016
1.03[18]

Having learned of Vanessa's injury, Maria is compelled to pull her out of the dance show until Vanessa convinces Maria not to, despite being warned what could happen. Thinking Carly betrayed her by revealing the injury, Vanessa gets angry and ends their friendship, but Sasha tells Carly he was the one who went to Maria, leaving Carly angry at him. During the show, the worst does happen to Vanessa while landing on her tender ankle after a jump; she needs to go to the hospital, and Carly takes her place in the show.... Alya is given an opportunity to tour with Da Bohème, but while reflecting on her time at Keaton, she overhears what Miles tells Julie about her. It upsets her and makes her determined to leave Keaton, even after Miles finds out and apologizes. After Bianca gives her some advice about the tour, and Miles, Alya decides to stay for the duet but is still leaving.... Jax asks Bianca to sit with him at the show, but thinking it is a date and unsure of what to do next, he asks Kit for advice. When Bianca invites another student to sit with her and Jax, then refers to Jax as a "good friend", it leaves him distraught.... Denzel brings Julie's parents to the show, much to Julie's shock.
Guest stars: Pippa Leslie, Arnold Pinnock (Gary Maslany – Julie's father), Carly Street
Absent: Chris Hoffman as Park, Jane Moffat as Helsweel

16
16
"Restart"
Director X
Jill Girling & Lori Mather-Welch
September 9, 2016 (2016-09-09)
September 12, 2016
0.74[19]

The first semester ends with Julie's parents taking her out of Keaton and Alya leaving Keaton for the Da Bohème tour. The next semester starts two weeks later, with Scarlett stepping up as the new student body president in Julie's absence. Denzel wonders how Scarlett is funding the dance parties she is planning and decides to impeach her. While Denzel is getting signatures for the impeachment, Kit finds out his motives stem from missing Julie, who eventually returns to Keaton.... Bianca becomes jealous over Jax hanging out with Jenna. She asks Miles to find out from Jax what is going on; Miles discovers Jax is indeed more into Jenna than Bianca, but he lies to Bianca to spare her feelings.... As Vanessa is sidelined while recovering from her ankle injury, she is still angry at Carly over her telling Sasha about the injury. Vanessa is confident she will be dancing again in a week, when the cast on her ankle is removed, but the doctor informs her the ankle is not healing as it should, and she will be dealing with a longer period of recovery and physical therapy.
Guest stars: Pippa Leslie, Arnold Pinnock
Absent: Jane Moffat as Helsweel

17
17
"Juggle"
Warren P. Sonoda
Kate Hewlett
September 16, 2016 (2016-09-16)
September 13, 2016
0.75[20]

Carly and Sasha are among those chosen by Helsweel to audition for the Primas, to fill Vanessa's spot. Throughout the process, Carly and Vanessa's feuding constantly tests Sasha. He wants to stay friends with both of them, but backs away from Carly when she forces him to choose between the two, making things more awkward after Helsweel announces that both Carly and Sasha have made the Primas.... With Julie's parents making a list of conditions for her to stay at Keaton, Julie has little time for extracurricular activities, so she allows Scarlett to continue as student body president. Julie stays on the student council as a "silent observer" but is clearly itching to be president again when she repeatedly interrupts Scarlett during a meeting. After both pitch their ideas for the end-of-year open house, and Julie is swamped by her studies, the two make a compromise and decide to share the job of president.... Miles feels left out when Jax spends time with Jenna, and then Kit. Jax realizes Miles misses Alya and invites him to a movie with Jenna; though Miles does not want to be a third wheel, Jax tells him that Jenna is wanting to know more about him.
Absent: Aviva Mongillo as Alya, Adrianna Di Liello as Jenna, Chris Hoffman as Park

18
18
"Eyes Forward"
Warren P. Sonoda
Kate Hewlett
September 23, 2016 (2016-09-23)
September 14, 2016
0.78[21]

Carly vows she will not do anything to get kicked out of the Primas, unlike Vanessa. A film student who is shooting footage for Keaton's web site continuously affects Carly's focus both in dance class and with the Primas. Carly makes it clear to him that she cannot be distracted, and he tries to comply.... Denzel's idea for the open house is to make a music video featuring the entire Keaton student body, hoping to impress and surprise Julie. Although he distributes fliers throughout the school about the video, no one comes to the first meeting. When Julie and Scarlett later show up, Denzel rethinks his approach for the video.... Jenna becomes suspicious about Jax when she hears about his involvement with Kit, so she asks Bianca to find out. As Bianca herself wonders where she stands with Jax, she becomes angry after finally learning the truth about it from Miles, which subsequently springs into her idea for the open house—girls vs. boys in a battle of bands. When spying on Jax and Kit, Bianca discovers Kit's secret identity, as DJ Diamondmind, but she sees they are not dating; nevertheless, she lets Jenna believe her suspicions were right, leading her to break up with Jax.
Guest stars: Michael Kaplan (Austin), Madison MacGregor
Absent: Aviva Mongillo as Alya

19
19
"Once in a Lifetime"
RT!
Matt Schiller
September 30, 2016 (2016-09-30)
September 15, 2016
0.64[22]

Alya returns to Keaton and spends a little time with Miles, but she plans to continue on the Da Bohème tour, in England. Before she possibly leaves Keaton forever, Miles brings Alya into the studio to record their duet, so she will remember him. When Alya reveals she is not happy on the tour, Miles persuades her to stay.... A scout from Juilliard School comes to Keaton and notices Julie's dancing. Although she is not in the dance program, the scout offers her the opportunity to attend Juilliard, but the only day he is available to evaluate her happens to be the same day Julie is taking the PSAT. With all the increased pressure for her to keep up at Keaton, and now this latest opportunity, Julie gives in and pays someone to sit for her at the exam.... Vanessa struggles emotionally with not being able to dance, especially for the visiting scout. Maria suggests that Vanessa find an outlet to express herself during her down time. When she notices some street dancers outside, Vanessa offers to help them improve their technique, against Sasha's warnings about those people.
Guest stars: Stephanie Caldeira (Sloane), Pippa Leslie, Chris Young (Francesco Gilles)
Absent: Julia Tomasone as Bianca, Adrianna Di Liello as Jenna, Mckenzie Small as Scarlett, Romy Weltman as Kit, Chris Hoffman as Park, Jane Moffat as Helsweel

20
20
"Da Capo"
RT!
Matt Schiller
October 7, 2016 (2016-10-07)
September 16, 2016
0.82[23]

Carly has been hanging out secretly with Austin, the film student she encountered shortly after becoming a Prima. After overhearing the gossip about Austin's past relationships, and not knowing the names of his ex-girlfriends, Carly wonders if he truly cares about her when he never refers to her by her actual name. He shows that he does know her name, even though he does not verbally communicate it.... Alya is readmitted into Keaton and becomes aware that she has to work with Bianca this semester for the open house project. Bianca attempts to intimidate Alya after hearing about her giving up Da Bohème to come back to Keaton, but Alya shows Bianca she is not a quitter.... Jax and Kit get into an argument over one of her songs, as in his mind, it brings into question the gender of DJ Diamondmind to fans. Any attempt to tweak the song fails to satisfy Kit, so she sends the original version to her record label, which turns it down. Kit gives Jax credit on the song as an assistant consultant, despite not taking his advice.... Miles receives a call from his mother that a kidney donor has been found, and he is scheduled to have surgery right away.
Guest stars: Michael Kaplan, Dewshane Williams
Absent: Adrianna Di Liello as Jenna, Mckenzie Small as Scarlett, Isiah Hall as Denzel, Kyal Legend as Julie, Chris Hoffman as Park, Jane Moffat as Helsweel

21
21
"Friend or Foe"
Lara Azzopardi
Scott Oleszkowicz
October 14, 2016 (2016-10-14)
September 19, 2016
0.70[24]

While choreographing for Sloane and the "Streets", Vanessa accidentally breaks a side mirror on Maria's car with her crutch. Maria seeks to have Principal Durani shut down the group, but Vanessa suggests they audition to become an official dance club at Keaton, which would entitle them to studio space for rehearsals. Their audition satisfies Maria and Helsweel, but not Cassandra, who is obligated to yield some of the time the Primas use the studio.... Denzel is looking for someone to direct his music video; he and Scarlett evaluate prospects but come up empty. Denzel then meets Austin, impressed by his filming background, but it takes some convincing to get him to be the video's director. As one condition, Austin wants Alya in the video as the singer, rather than Scarlett.... While Miles undergoes kidney transplant surgery, Alya, Jax and Bianca are in music class thinking about him and hoping for the best. They work on a get-well song for him and later perform it in his hospital room after he is out of surgery.
Guest stars: Stephanie Caldeira, Michael Kaplan, Pippa Leslie, Madison MacGregor
Absent: Alyssa Trask as Carly, Adrianna Di Liello as Jenna, Colin Petierre as Sasha, Kyal Legend as Julie, Chris Hoffman as Park

22
22
"Verite"
Lara Azzopardi
Scott Oleszkowicz
October 21, 2016 (2016-10-21)
September 20, 2016
0.77[25]

Maria gives Vanessa the responsibility of choreographing a dance for Carly, Sasha and Jenna. When Carly is directed to assume the stance of a rock, lacking any kind of dancing, she questions what Vanessa is doing. Despite the two's severed friendship, Maria advises Carly to trust Vanessa's abilities as a choreographer. Later, Vanessa finds out her ankle has healed enough for the cast to be removed.... When Scarlett receives an assignment to write a song which connects to her musical roots, she struggles with it because she is unsure whether her birth parents had anything to do with those roots. Kit reminds her that their adoptive parents are a huge influence in where they both are in music.... When Principal Durani wants to talk to Julie regarding the PSAT, she becomes uncomfortable and decides to tell Denzel what she did to clear her conscience. Durani congratulates her on getting the highest PSAT score in Keaton history and wants her photo to go on the Keaton web site in honor of her achievement. Julie realizes she needs to come clean with Durani, though Denzel fears seeing her taken out of Keaton again.
Guest stars: Pippa Leslie, Ish Morris (Ryland Marcus), Dewshane Williams
Absent: Josh Bogert as Miles, Aviva Mongillo as Alya, Matthew Isen as Jax, Julia Tomasone as Bianca, Chris Hoffman as Park, Jane Moffat as Helsweel

23
23
"Step Up"
Director X
Lauren Gosnell
October 28, 2016 (2016-10-28)
September 21, 2016
0.62[26]

Julie is allowed to continue at Keaton following the PSAT incident. Her focus shifts toward getting into Juilliard, and she wants Maria to help improve her dancing. However, as Julie brought up Maria during the discussion of disciplinary action for her cheating on the PSAT, Principal Durani interrogates Maria about her involvement in this. It leads to Maria being dismissed from teaching at Keaton.... Vanessa's cast is finally off, and despite being cleared by her doctor to dance again, she fears reinjuring her ankle. Sasha knows it is all in Vanessa's head, and he tells her she can only overcome this obstacle by dancing.... Miles' relationship with Alya is put to the test when he sees her singing to Austin for Denzel's music video. Miles stands up to Austin and makes it clear that he is her boyfriend.
Guest stars: Michael Kaplan, Pippa Leslie, Arnold Pinnock, Dewshane Williams
Absent: Julia Tomasone as Bianca, Mckenzie Small as Scarlett, Romy Weltman as Kit, Chris Hoffman as Park, Jane Moffat as Helsweel

24
24
"Ensemble"
Director X
Lauren Gosnell
November 4, 2016 (2016-11-04)
September 22, 2016
0.67[27]

After Maria is let go, Julie tries to make it up to the dance class by getting them involved in her art presentation for the open house. Initially, Vanessa and Sasha are the only ones on board, but Carly gets the others to join, though she has a motive to get back at Julie. When Julie talks one-on-one with Carly about Maria, Carly has a change of heart and needs to defuse her revenge plans. With Vanessa's help, she starts a fire in the school, and the alarm and sprinklers go off.... Carly's attitude toward Julie makes Vanessa wonder why Carly has changed. Vanessa is aware of Carly's dating Austin and tries to unearth the truth about him as Keaton's heartbreaker.... In digging for information about her birth parents, Scarlett unexpectedly comes across a letter that is from those of her sister. Kit refuses to open the envelope and wants it discarded, but Scarlett lets her sister know that she loves her and their adoptive parents, no matter what either finds out about their birth parents. Kit then decides she wants to read the letter, but the fire sprinkler incident ruins it.
Guest star: Michael Kaplan
Absent: Josh Bogert as Miles, Aviva Mongillo as Alya, Julia Tomasone as Bianca, Isiah Hall as Denzel, Chris Hoffman as Park, Jane Moffat as Helsweel

25
25
"After the Flood"
Wendy Morgan
Kate Hewlett
November 11, 2016 (2016-11-11)
September 23, 2016
0.92[28]

The music students need to recreate their work for the open house after the fire sprinkler damage to the school destroyed their recordings. Jax reaches his boiling point after what he has been through all semester. Bianca comes clean with Jax, saying she caused Jenna to break up with him, but after she and her girl band perform their new song in class, Jax reveals he has had feelings for Bianca all along.... Vanessa and Sasha warn Carly about Austin after they see his temper, and when she does not listen, Sasha posts Carly and Austin's relationship on his blog. Carly is afraid this will jeopardize her position with the Primas, but the one let go is Sasha. Regarding her dating Austin, Carly calls it quits because, as Vanessa and Sasha have been trying to get her to see, he has failed to treat her with respect.... Julie asks Jenna to help improve her dancing by coaching her. While she has not forgotten Julie's part in Maria's dismissal, Jenna decides to coach Julie, but her allegiance with the dance class is split. Julie sees the honest side of Jenna and encourages her to stand up for herself in dance class.
Guest stars: Michael Kaplan, Madison MacGregor
Absent: Mckenzie Small as Scarlett, Romy Weltman as Kit, Isiah Hall as Denzel, Jane Moffat as Helsweel

26
26
"Try Again"
Wendy Morgan
Matt Schiller
November 18, 2016 (2016-11-18)
September 26, 2016
0.72[29]

Following his ouster from the Primas, Sasha pleads with Vanessa to become part of the Streets. He auditions and while Sloane thinks he is good, she does not let him join because of his TMK blog. Sasha proves he is worthy of becoming part of the group by deleting his blog account.... Principal Durani interrogates Carly and Jenna about the fire sprinklers. While the two confess about plotting revenge against Julie, they keep quiet about their part in the sprinklers going off. They attempt investigating on their own, and Jenna considers Vanessa the prime suspect until she sees Carly is hiding something. Upon getting the truth from Carly, Jenna goes back to Durani, but Carly finds out she, Vanessa and Sasha have been spared the ultimate punishment for now.... Alya discovers the song she is singing for Denzel's music video belongs to Scarlett, so she goes to Austin wanting Scarlett back in the video. He blackmails Alya to stay in the video by threatening to expose their professional relationship as more than that to Miles. When Alya tells Kit about the incident, they urge Denzel to fire Austin, who overhears them. The girls get into heated words with Austin, but when he shoves Kit, Denzel shoves back, knocking Austin to the ground.
Guest stars: Stephanie Caldeira, Michael Kaplan, Madison MacGregor, Dewshane Williams
Absent: Matthew Isen as Jax, Julia Tomasone as Bianca, Kyal Legend as Julie, Chris Hoffman as Park, Jane Moffat as Helsweel

27
27
"Fallout"
Warren P. Sonoda
Scott Oleszkowicz
November 18, 2016 (2016-11-18)
September 27, 2016
0.84[30]

All of Keaton finds out about the confrontation involving Austin, Alya, Kit and Denzel. Principal Durani calls Kit to his office to get her side; he also needs to hear from Denzel, who is nowhere to be found. Kit goes looking for him, and Scarlett helps. When they do find him and Denzel is ready to see Durani, he has support from many students, who join him in Durani's office.... Miles has been on edge about Alya's involvement with Austin and continues to be even after what happened to Austin, particularly when Alya texts him to find out if he is okay. Alya discovers Miles has problems with trust, stemming from his parents' separation, and they resolve to trust and be honest with each other.... Vanessa and Carly are paired by Helsweel for the final exam in dance class, which helps the two repair their friendship, though Carly is a little aloof following what she has heard about Austin's bullying. While preparing for the final, Vanessa gets a disturbing text which threatens to expose a secret. She initially thinks it is about a brief kiss between her and Sasha that she worries Carly knows about. Sasha gets the same text, but when Carly also gets that text, they conclude it to be about the fire sprinkler incident.
Guest stars: Michael Kaplan, Dewshane Williams
Absent: Chris Hoffman as Park

28
28
"Lead the Way"
Warren P. Sonoda
Scott Oleszkowicz
November 25, 2016 (2016-11-25)
September 28, 2016
0.89[31]

Denzel struggles as the director of his music video, with his dancers failing to work together. As Denzel sees the job as being the boss, Scarlett encourages him to approach it differently, being more a leader than the boss. The change results in better communication with his dancers.... Bianca is ready to date Jax but suffers a setback in planning it. Park catches her taking a phone call about a reservation during class, leading to her phone being confiscated plus detention. Jax salvages Bianca's effort by finding a way to join her in detention for their date.... The open house is nearing, but ticket sales are falling short of expectation, particularly for a fundraiser being held by Vanessa, Carly, Jenna and Sasha to help pay for what was lost or damaged due to the fire sprinklers. As they prepare to attract more people from a bigger venue, a new mysterious text pops up, this time exposing Vanessa and Sasha's kiss to everyone at Keaton. While the text upsets the two and Carly, Sasha realizes his deleted TMK blog account is being hacked, later discovering Jenna is behind it, and those texts.
Absent: Romy Weltman as Kit, Kyal Legend as Julie, Jane Moffat as Helsweel

29
29
"Me"
Lara Azzopardi
Lara Azzopardi
December 2, 2016 (2016-12-02)
September 29, 2016
0.87[32]

The Streets feel they belong in the open house. While Helsweel tells them that they and the Primas cannot both be showcased, and that Francesco Gilles, the scout from Juilliard, is coming to Keaton again to look for the best performers, she allows the Streets a chance to show whether they are ready. Vanessa and Carly find their friendship tested once again with this dance rivalry, plus Carly's potential spot in Juilliard's summer program is at stake.... Although Alya is feeling secure with Miles after their discussion on trust, she becomes reminded about when he was involved with Julie. Alya realizes it is in the past and is willing to let Miles help Julie with her open house project which is experiencing audio trouble. Once he fixes the problem, the two nearly exchange a kiss.... Denzel has Scarlett record many takes of her song for his music video, which leads to stress on her voice. Scarlett is also preparing the introductory speech for the open house, but while rehearsing her speech, she struggles talking through it.... Bianca gets a callback on a movie role; if she gets the part, she will be in Los Angeles during the summer. Jax worries that he will lose her, but Bianca assures him that she will not leave him.
Guest stars: Stephanie Caldeira, Madison MacGregor
Absent: Adrianna Di Liello as Jenna

30
30
"We"
Director X
Lara Azzopardi
December 9, 2016 (2016-12-09)
September 30, 2016
0.90[33]

The open house is underway. Scarlett has trouble speaking during her introduction, but Julie assures Scarlett she has a great voice, even though she is worrying about how much she has damaged it.... Helsweel announces the Primas will perform at the open house. She commends the Streets for their improvement, but they still need to work at getting even better. At the same time, Vanessa finds out Carly is on the short list for Juilliard's summer program, and while feeling betrayed that Carly kept this a secret, Vanessa encourages her to take advantage of the opportunity.... Jax will be spending the summer touring with DJ Diamondmind, but as Kit gives him this news, she finds out that Jax has scheduled her, as Diamondmind, to appear at the open house, and she emphatically tells Jax she does not want to do so. In encouraging her to reconsider, Jax alludes to her birth parents and ends up surprising her regarding their letter she originally did not want to read.... Miles writes a song for Alya to show what he means to her, but he cannot hide from her that he nearly kissed Julie. The revelation hardly shocks Alya, who realizes she has been lost with her music since returning to Keaton and needs to refocus on that without Miles.... Bianca does not land the movie role she was hoping for, so she will not be going to Los Angeles. She keeps that information from Jax, though she is happy he will be touring with DJ Diamondmind.... Kit finally reads the letter from her birth parents, with Scarlett helping her through it. While finishing the letter, Scarlett's voice becomes so hoarse, she finds herself unable to speak. She clearly cannot sing in Denzel's music video, putting his project in jeopardy.... After the Primas showcase their talent, they extend a gesture to the Streets members to join them on the dance floor, with Carly inviting Vanessa up first, then Cassandra doing the same for Sloane. Denzel comes up with a plan that allows Scarlett to still be in his video but adds Alya and Bianca as co-leads. Scarlett reveals the doctor found calluses on her vocal cords; she is determined to sing again, but with the nodes diagnosis, it is also a real possibility she may not.... As the school year ends, Principal Durani discovers an email from an "unknown" sender with a video that links Carly and Vanessa to the fire sprinkler incident.
Guest stars: Stephanie Caldeira, Madison MacGregor, Dewshane Williams, Chris Young
Absent: Chris Hoffman as Park

text: Season 2 (2017)[edit]

text: The season was released on Netflix in the United States on September 30, 2017.[34]

tag: ul

text:
No.
overall
No. in
season
Title [3]
Directed by
Written by
Canadian air date
UK air date [3]

31
1
"And We're Back..."
RT!
Lara Azzopardi
March 12, 2018
July 28, 2017

The students are back at Keaton after the holidays. Principal Durani knows about every detail of the sprinkler incident caused by Carly and Vanessa, and makes them pay for it by helping undo the damage they have done in their free time between and after classes, starting by repainting a poster with just a tiny brush. Helsweel gets permission for Carly to leave early because she is judging auditions for the Primas, and Carly makes sure Vanessa is last so she has time to finish the work. Meanwhile, three senior music students come to mentor the sophomores, and things get awkward when Alya and Miles end up on Frances' team together. Bianca questions Jax after someone makes a post on TMK saying he cheated on her with Kit. Jax says that he did not cheat on her. She believes him, and they kiss. But Jax does not tell Bianca that Kit is DJ Diamondmind; instead, he tells Bianca that DJ Diamondmind wants her to sing on his next album. Vanessa gets to the Prima audition just in time, but she trips and gets injured, and has to be taken to a hospital. When Alya and Miles confront Frances about picking one of them, Frances immediately understands what's going on and suggests that singing together will be actually better for them.
Guest stars: Stephanie Caldeira, Hailey Fauchere (Mindy), Stephanie La Rochelle (Frances), Madison MacGregor, Dewshane Williams

32
2
"Leading by Example"
RT!
Lara Azzopardi
March 13, 2018
August 4, 2017

Guest stars: Hailey Fauchere, Stephanie La Rochelle, Madison MacGregor

33
3
"Choices"
Warren P. Sonoda
Matt Schiller
March 14, 2018
August 11, 2017

Guest stars: Stephanie Caldeira, Madison MacGregor, Corteon Moore (Matteo), Jennifer Pogue, Dewshane Williams

34
4
"The One"
Warren P. Sonoda
Lauren Gosnell
March 15, 2018
August 18, 2017

Guest stars: Robert Bazzocchi (Aidan), Joshua Kilimnik (George), Hailey Fauchere, Madison MacGregor, Stephanie La Rochelle, Emily Persich, Dewshane Williams

35
5
"Take the Note"
Mario Azzopardi
Kate Hewlett
March 16, 2018
August 25, 2017

Guest stars: Robert Bazzocchi, Joshua Kilimnik, Stephanie La Rochelle, Corteon Moore, Madison MacGregor,

36
6
"Gotta Be Strong"
Mario Azzopardi
Kate Hewlett
March 23, 2018
September 1, 2017

Guest stars: Stephanie Caldeira, Joshua Kilimnik

37
7
"In Her Shadow"
Director X
Scott Oleszkowicz
March 30, 2018
TBA

Guest stars: Robert Bazzocchi, Joshua Kilimnik, Hailey Fauchere

38
8
"Control"
Director X
Scott Oleszkowicz
April 6, 2018
TBA

Guest stars: Hailey Fauchere, Stephanie La Rochelle, Madison MacGregor

39
9
"Qualifiers: Day 1"
Director X
Lauren Gosnell
TBA
TBA

Guest stars: Robert Bazzocchi, Stephanie La Rochelle, Hailey Fauchere, Madison MacGregor, Janet Porter (Mrs. Kendrick)

40
10
"Qualifiers: Day 2"
Director X
Lauren Gosnell
TBA
TBA

Guest stars: Joshua Kilimnik, Pippa Leslie, Dewshane Williams

41
11
"Wrong Side of a Love Song"
Mario Azzopardi
Floyd Kane
TBA
TBA

Guest stars: Robert Bazzocchi, Joshua Kilimnik, Hailey Fauchere, Madison MacGregor, Stephanie La Rochelle

42
12
"Shake It Off"
Mario Azzopardi
Matt Schiller
TBA
TBA

Guest stars: Stephanie Caldeira, Hailey Fauchere, Stephanie La Rochelle, Pippa Leslie

43
13
"Clear Eyes"
Warren P. Sonoda
Matt Schiller
TBA
TBA

Guest stars: Stephanie Caldeira, Hailey Fauchere, Sydney Kuhne (Azadeh), Corteon Moore, Madison MacGregor, Dewshane Williams

44
14
"Mixing It Up"
RT!
Lara Azzopardi
TBA
TBA

Guest stars: Stephanie Caldeira, Sydney Kuhne, Robert Bazzocchi, Joshua Kilimnik, Hailey Fauchere, Madison MacGregor, Pippa Leslie, Dewshane Williams

45
15
"In the Dark"
RT!
Lara Azzopardi
TBA
TBA

Guest stars: Stephanie Caldeira, Hailey Fauchere, Joshua Kilimnik, Stephanie La Rochelle, Madison MacGregor, Andrew Musselman

46
16
"Prima Donna"
TBA
TBA
TBA
TBA

47
17
"Best Idea"
TBA
TBA
TBA
TBA

48
18
"Caught"
TBA
TBA
TBA
TBA

49
19
"Telling Stories"
TBA
TBA
TBA
TBA

50
20
"Two Steps Forward"
TBA
TBA
TBA
TBA

51
21
"Obvious"
TBA
TBA
TBA
TBA

52
22
"Comfort Zone"
TBA
TBA
TBA
TBA

53
23
"Lesson. Learned"
TBA
TBA
TBA
TBA

54
24
"In Your Eyes"
TBA
TBA
TBA
TBA

55
25
"Clean Slate"
TBA
TBA
TBA
TBA

56
26
"Not for Sale"
TBA
TBA
TBA
TBA

57
27
"Legacy"
TBA
TBA
TBA
TBA

58
28
"Hope"
TBA
TBA
TBA
TBA

59
29
"Almost There"
TBA
TBA
TBA
TBA

60
30
"Apart but Together"
TBA
TBA
TBA
TBA


document_title: Universal Declaration of Human Rights

question_text: who does the universal declaration of human rights apply to

root

text: Universal Declaration of Human Rights

text: History[edit]

text: Precursors[edit]

text:
State of the Union (Four Freedoms) (6 January 1941)

Franklin Delano Roosevelt's 6 January 1941 State of the Union address introducing the theme of the Four Freedoms (starting at 32:02)

Problems playing this file? See media help.

text: During World War II, the Allies adopted the Four Freedoms—freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom from fear, and freedom from want—as their basic war aims. The United Nations Charter "reaffirmed faith in fundamental human rights, and dignity and worth of the human person" and committed all member states to promote "universal respect for, and observance of, human rights and fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language, or religion".[4]

tag: p

text: When the racist atrocities committed by Nazi Germany became fully apparent after World War II, the consensus within the world community was that the United Nations Charter did not sufficiently define the rights to which it referred.[5][6] A universal declaration that specified the rights of individuals was necessary to give effect to the Charter's provisions on human rights.[7]

text: Creation and drafting[edit]

text: In June 1946, the UN Economic and Social Council established the Commission on Human Rights, which consisted of 18 members from various nationalities and political backgrounds. The Commission on Human Rights, a standing body of the United Nations, was constituted to undertake the work of preparing what was initially conceived as an International Bill of Rights.[8]

text: The commission established a special Universal Declaration of Human Rights Drafting Committee, chaired by Eleanor Roosevelt, to write the articles of the Declaration. The committee met in two sessions over the course of two years.

text: Canadian John Peters Humphrey, Director of the Division of Human Rights within the United Nations Secretariat, was called upon by the United Nations Secretary-General to work on the project and became the Declaration's principal drafter.[9] At the time, Humphrey was newly appointed as Director of the Division of Human Rights within the United Nations Secretariat.[10]

text: Other well-known members of the drafting committee included René Cassin of France, Charles Malik of Lebanon, P. C. Chang of the Republic of China (Taiwan),.[11] Humphrey provided the initial draft which became the working text of the Commission.

text: According to Allan Carlson in Globalizing Family Values, the Declaration's pro-family phrases were the result of the Christian Democratic movement's influence on Cassin and Malik.[12]

text: Once the committee finished its work in May 1948, the draft was further discussed by the Commission on Human Rights, the Economic and Social Council, the Third Committee of the General Assembly before being put to vote in December 1948. During these discussions many amendments and propositions were made by UN Member States.[13]

text: British representatives were extremely frustrated that the proposal had moral but no legal obligation.[14] (It was not until 1976 that the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights came into force, giving a legal status to most of the Declaration.)

text: Adoption[edit]

text: On 10 December 1948, the Universal Declaration was adopted by the General Assembly as resolution 217A by a vote of 48 in favor, none against, and eight abstentions (the Soviet Union, Ukrainian SSR, Byelorussian SSR, People's Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, People's Republic of Poland, Union of South Africa, Czechoslovakia, and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia).[15][16] Honduras and Yemen—both members of UN at the time—failed to vote or abstain.[17]

text: The meeting record[18] provides first hand insight of the debate. South Africa's position can be seen as an attempt to protect its system of apartheid, which clearly violated any number of articles in the Declaration.[15] The Saudi Arabian delegation's abstention was prompted primarily by two of the Declaration's articles: Article 18, which states that everyone has the right "to change his religion or belief"; and Article 16, on equal marriage rights.[15] The six communist nations abstentions centred around the view that the Declaration did not go far enough in condemning fascism and Nazism.[19] Eleanor Roosevelt attributed the abstention of the Soviet bloc nations to Article 13, which provided the right of citizens to leave their countries.[20]

text: 48 countries voted in favour of the Declaration:[21]

text:
Afghanistan
 Argentina
 Australia
 Belgium
 Bolivia
 Brazil
 Burma
 Canada [a]
 Chile
 China
 Colombia
 Costa Rica
 Cuba
 Denmark
 Dominican Republic
 Ecuador
 Egypt
 El Salvador
 Ethiopia
 France
 Greece
 Guatemala
 Haiti
 Iceland
 India
 Iran
 Iraq
 Lebanon
 Liberia
 Luxembourg
 Mexico
 Netherlands
 New Zealand
 Nicaragua
 Norway
 Pakistan
 Panama
 Paraguay
 Peru
 Philippines
 Thailand
 Sweden
 Syria
 Turkey
 United Kingdom
 United States
 Uruguay
 Venezuela

text: 8 countries abstained:[21]

text:
Byelorussian SSR (Byelorussia)
 Czechoslovakia
 Poland
 Saudi Arabia
 Soviet Union
 Ukrainian SSR (Ukraine)
 Union of South Africa
 Yugoslavia

text: Other countries only gained sovereignty and joined the United Nations later,[23] which explains the relatively small number of states entitled to the historical vote and in no way reflects opposition to the universal principles.

text: Structure[edit]

text: The underlying structure of the Universal Declaration was introduced in its second draft, which was prepared by René Cassin. Cassin worked from a first draft, which was prepared by John Peters Humphrey. The structure was influenced by the Code Napoléon, including a preamble and introductory general principles.[24]

text: Cassin compared the Declaration to the portico of a Greek temple, with a foundation, steps, four columns, and a pediment. Articles 1 and 2 are the foundation blocks, with their principles of dignity, liberty, equality, and brotherhood. The seven paragraphs of the preamble—setting out the reasons for the Declaration—represent the steps. The main body of the Declaration forms the four columns. The first column (articles 3–11) constitutes rights of the individual such as the right to life and the prohibition of slavery. Articles 6 through 11 refer to the fundamental legality of human rights with specific remedies cited for their defense when violated. The second column (articles 12–17) constitutes the rights of the individual in civil and political society (including such things as freedom of movement). The third column (articles 18–21) is concerned with spiritual, public, and political freedoms such as freedom of association, thought, conscience, and religion. The fourth column (articles 22–27) sets out social, economic, and cultural rights including healthcare. In Cassin's model, the last three articles of the Declaration provide the pediment which binds the structure together. These articles are concerned with the duty of the individual to society and the prohibition of use of rights in contravention of the purposes of the United Nations Organisation.[25]

text: International Human Rights Day[edit]

text: The adoption of the Universal Declaration is a significant international commemoration marked each year on 10 December, and is known as Human Rights Day or International Human Rights Day. The commemoration is observed by individuals, community and religious groups, human rights organizations, parliaments, governments, and the United Nations. Decadal commemorations are often accompanied by campaigns to promote awareness of the Declaration and human rights. 2008 marked the 60th anniversary of the Declaration, and was accompanied by year-long activities around the theme "Dignity and justice for all of us".[26]

text: Significance and legal effect[edit]

text: Significance[edit]

text: In 1948, the UN Resolution A/RES/217(III)[A] adopted the Declaration on a bilingual document in English and French, and official translations in Chinese, Russian and Spanish.[27] In 2009, the Guinness Book of Records described the Declaration as the world's "Most Translated Document" (370 different languages and dialects).[28][29] Unicode stores 431[30] of the 503[31] official translations available at the OHCHR (as of June 2017[update]).

text: In its preamble, governments commit themselves and their people to progressive measures which secure the universal and effective recognition and observance of the human rights set out in the Declaration. Eleanor Roosevelt supported the adoption of the Declaration as a declaration rather than as a treaty because she believed that it would have the same kind of influence on global society as the United States Declaration of Independence had within the United States. In this, she proved to be correct. Even though it is not legally binding, the Declaration has been adopted in or has influenced most national constitutions since 1948. It has also served as the foundation for a growing number of national laws, international laws, and treaties, as well as for a growing number of regional, sub national, and national institutions protecting and promoting human rights.

text: Legal effect[edit]

text: While not a treaty itself, the Declaration was explicitly adopted for the purpose of defining the meaning of the words "fundamental freedoms" and "human rights" appearing in the United Nations Charter, which is binding on all member states. For this reason, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is a fundamental constitutive document of the United Nations. In addition, many international lawyers[32] believe that the Declaration forms part of customary international law[33] and is a powerful tool in applying diplomatic and moral pressure to governments that violate any of its articles. The 1968 United Nations International Conference on Human Rights advised that the Declaration "constitutes an obligation for the members of the international community" to all persons. The Declaration has served as the foundation for two binding UN human rights covenants: the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. The principles of the Declaration are elaborated in international treaties such as the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, the International Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, the United Nations Convention Against Torture, and many more. The Declaration continues to be widely cited by governments, academics, advocates, and constitutional courts, and by individuals who appeal to its principles for the protection of their recognised human rights.

text: Reaction[edit]

text: Praise[edit]

text: The Universal Declaration has received praise from a number of notable people. The Lebanese philosopher and diplomat Charles Malik called it "an international document of the first order of importance",[34] while Eleanor Roosevelt—first chairwoman of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) that drafted the Declaration—stated that it "may well become the international Magna Carta of all men everywhere."[35] In a speech on 5 October 1995, Pope John Paul II called the Declaration "one of the highest expressions of the human conscience of our time" but the Vatican never adopted the Declaration.[36] In a statement on 10 December 2003 on behalf of the European Union, Marcello Spatafora said that the Declaration "placed human rights at the centre of the framework of principles and obligations shaping relations within the international community."[citation needed]

text: Criticism[edit]

text: Islamic countries[edit]

text: Turkey— which was a secular state with an overwhelmingly Muslim population—signed the Declaration in 1948.[37] However, the same year, Saudi Arabia abstained from the ratification vote on the Declaration, claiming that it violated Sharia law.[38] Pakistan—which had signed the declaration—disagreed and critiqued the Saudi position.[39] Pakistani minister Muhammad Zafarullah Khan strongly argued in favor of including freedom of religion.[40] In 1982, the Iranian representative to the United Nations, Said Rajaie-Khorassani, said that the Declaration was "a secular understanding of the Judeo-Christian tradition" which could not be implemented by Muslims without conflict with Sharia.[41] On 30 June 2000, members of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (now the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation) officially resolved to support the Cairo Declaration on Human Rights in Islam,[42] an alternative document that says people have "freedom and right to a dignified life in accordance with the Islamic Shari'ah", without any discrimination on grounds of "race, colour, language, sex, religious belief, political affiliation, social status or other considerations".

text: Some Muslim diplomats would go on later to help draft other UN human rights treaties. For example, Iraqi diplomat Bedia Afnan's insistence on wording that recognized gender equality resulted in Article 3 within the ICCPR and ICESCR. Pakistani diplomat Shaista Suhrawardy Ikramullah also spoke in favor of recognizing women's rights.[40]

text: A number of scholars in different fields have expressed concerns with the Declaration's alleged Western bias. These include Irene Oh, Abdulaziz Sachedina, Riffat Hassan, and Faisal Kutty. Hassan has argued:

text: What needs to be pointed out to those who uphold the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to be the highest, or sole, model, of a charter of equality and liberty for all human beings, is that given the Western origin and orientation of this Declaration, the "universality" of the assumptions on which it is based is – at the very least – problematic and subject to questioning. Furthermore, the alleged incompatibility between the concept of human rights and religion in general, or particular religions such as Islam, needs to be examined in an unbiased way.[43]

text: Irene Oh argues that one solution is to approach the issue from the perspective of comparative (descriptive) ethics.[44]

text: Kutty writes: "A strong argument can be made that the current formulation of international human rights constitutes a cultural structure in which western society finds itself easily at home ... It is important to acknowledge and appreciate that other societies may have equally valid alternative conceptions of human rights."[45]

text: Ironically, a number of Islamic countries that as of 2014[update] are among the most resistant to UN intervention in domestic affairs, played an invaluable role in the creation of the Declaration, with countries such as Syria and Egypt having been strong proponents of the universality of human rights and the right of countries to self-determination.[46]

text: "The Right to Refuse to Kill"[edit]

text: Groups such as Amnesty International[47] and War Resisters International[48] have advocated for "The Right to Refuse to Kill" to be added to the Universal Declaration. War Resisters International has stated that the right to conscientious objection to military service is primarily derived from—but not yet explicit in—Article 18 of the UDHR: the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion.[48]

text: Steps have been taken within the United Nations to make this right more explicit, but —to date (2017)—[update] those steps have been limited to less significant United Nations documents. Sean MacBride—Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations and Nobel Peace Prize laureate—has said: "To the rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights one more might, with relevance, be added. It is 'The Right to Refuse to Kill'."[49]

text: American Anthropological Association[edit]

text: The American Anthropological Association criticized the UDHR while it was in its drafting process. The AAA warned that the document would be defining universal rights from a Western paradigm which would be unfair to countries outside of that scope. They further argued that the West's history of colonialism and Evangelicalism made them a problematic moral representative for the rest of the world. They proposed three notes for consideration with underlying themes of cultural relativism: "1. The individual realizes his personality through his culture, hence respect for individual differences entails a respect for cultural differences", "2. Respect for differences between cultures is validated by the scientific fact that no technique of qualitatively evaluating cultures has been discovered", and "3. Standards and values are relative to the culture from which they derive so that any attempt to formulate postulates that grow out of the beliefs or moral codes of one culture must to that extent detract from the applicability of any Declaration of Human Rights to mankind as a whole."[50]

text: Bangkok Declaration[edit]

text: During the lead up to the World Conference on Human Rights held in 1993, ministers from Asian states adopted the Bangkok Declaration, reaffirming their governments' commitment to the principles of the United Nations Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. They stated their view of the interdependence and indivisibility of human rights and stressed the need for universality, objectivity, and non-selectivity of human rights. However, at the same time, they emphasized the principles of sovereignty and non-interference, calling for greater emphasis on economic, social, and cultural rights—in particular, the right to economic development over civil and political rights. The Bangkok Declaration is considered to be a landmark expression of the Asian values perspective, which offers an extended critique of human rights universalism.[51]

text: Organizations promoting the UDHR[edit]

text: International Federation for Human Rights[edit]

text: The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) is nonpartisan, nonsectarian, and independent of any government, and its core mandate is to promote respect for all the rights set out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.[52][53]

text: Amnesty International[edit]

text: In 1988, director Stephen R. Johnson and 41 international animators, musicians, and producers created a 20-minute video for Amnesty International to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration. The video was to bring to life the Declaration's 30 articles.[54]

text: Amnesty International celebrated Human Rights Day and the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration all over the world by organizing the "Fire Up!" event.[55]

text: Unitarian Universalist Service Committee[edit]

text: The Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC) is a non-profit, nonsectarian organization whose work around the world is guided by the values of Unitarian Universalism and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It works to provide disaster relief and promote human rights and social justice around the world.

text: Quaker United Nations Office and American Friends Service Committee[edit]

text: The Quaker United Nations Office and the American Friends Service Committee work on many human rights issues, including improving education on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. They have developed a Curriculum to help introduce High School students to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.[56][57]

text: American Library Association[edit]

text: In 1997, the council of the American Library Association (ALA) endorsed Article 19 from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.[58] Along with Article 19, Article 18 and 20 are also fundamentally tied to the ALA Universal Right to Free Expression and the Library Bill of Rights.[59] Censorship, the invasion of privacy, and interference of opinions are human rights violations according to the ALA.

text: Youth for Human Rights International[edit]

text: Youth for Human Rights International (YHRI) is a non-profit organization founded in 2001 by Mary Shuttleworth, an educator born and raised in apartheid South Africa, where she witnessed firsthand the devastating effects of discrimination and the lack of basic human rights. The purpose of YHRI is to teach youth about human rights, specifically the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and inspire them to become advocates for tolerance and peace. YHRI has now grown into a global movement, including hundreds of groups, clubs and chapters around the world.[60]