Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church

The field of human rights has expanded to include the rights of peoples and nations: ^{325Cf. John Paul II, Encyclical Letter Sollicitudo Rei Socialis, 33: AAS 80 (1988), 557-559; John Paul II, Encyclical Letter Centesimus Annus, 21: AAS 83 (1991), 818-819.} in fact, “what is true for the individual is also true for peoples”.^{326John Paul II, Letter on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of the outbreak of the Second World War, 8: L'Osservatore Romano, English edition, 4 September 1989, p. 2.} The Magisterium points out that international law “rests upon the principle of equal respect for States, for each people's right to self-determination and for their free cooperation in view of the higher common good of humanity”.^{327John Paul II, Letter on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of the outbreak of the Second World War, 8: L'Osservatore Romano, English edition, 4 September 1989, p. 2.} Peace is founded not only on respect for human rights but also on respect for the rights of peoples, in particular the right to independence.^{328Cf. John Paul II, Address to the Diplomatic Corps (9 January 1988), 7-8: L'Osservatore Romano, English edition, 25 January 1988, p. 7.} The rights of nations are nothing but “‘human rights' fostered at the specific level of community life”.^{329John Paul II, Address to the Fiftieth General Assembly of the United Nations (5 October 1995), 8: L'Osservatore Romano, English edition, 11 October 1995, p. 9.} A nation has a “fundamental right to existence”, to “its own language and culture, through which a people expresses and promotes ... its fundamental spiritual ‘sovereignty”', to “shape its life according to its own traditions, excluding, of course, every abuse of basic human rights and in particular the oppression of minorities”, to “build its future by providing an appropriate education for the younger generation”.^{330John Paul II, Address to the Fiftieth General Assembly of the United Nations (5 October 1995), 8: L'Osservatore Romano, English edition, 11 October 1995, p. 9.} The international order requires a balance between particularity and universality, which all nations are called to bring about, for their primary duty is to live in a posture of peace, respect and solidarity with other nations.