From Spain, France, Italy, Uruguay, Argentina and the U.S., six artists contributed stories to illustrate what can happen in a world that disregards fundamental human rights embodied in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Scenes of these sophisticated cartoons are situated in first-century Jerusalem, twentieth-century Paris, and sixteenth-century Italy. Of the 22 articles in the Declaration, the artists chose to portray the right to life, liberty and security of person; freedom from torture or cruel, inhuman treatment; the right to a hearing by an impartial tribunal; freedom of movement within one's country and the right to return to one's country; freedom of opinion and expression; the right of participation in government and the right of access to public services. This episode by Will Eisner takes place in an imaginary country where citizens learn the results of failure to participate in elections.

The United Nations General Assembly adopted and proclaimed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on December 10, 1948. At their website, www.unhchr.ch/udhr/index.htm, the Declaration is available in 300 languages.