signal a renewed commitment to the cause of universal human rights long championed by the United States . As this year marks the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights , the reassertion of these fundamental rights is necessary . While the U.S. government has much work to do in this regard , there will have to be a concerted international effort to achieve meaningful protection of human rights , even as the issue of security continues to demand our attention . The American people and our courts have rejected the proposition that some people 's rights can be suspended arbitrarily ; to do so violates the very core of our democracy . Hopefully , those working to establish democratic practices and institutions worldwide will seize upon this development and convince their own fellow citizens that democracy and human rights are worth the struggle . The international community , including a newly energized United States , should move swiftly and decisively to support the local heroes who risk much to advance this cause . Human rights defenders from throughout the world are participating in our annual conference at The Carter Center this week to share the challenges they
Editor 's Note : Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter is founder of The Carter Center , a not-for-profit organization that seeks to `` prevent and resolve conflicts , enhance freedom and democracy , and improve health . '' Read more on human rights defenders : http://www.cartercenter.org/homepage.html Jimmy Carter says closing Guantanamo Bay and ending torture would send a strong message . ATLANTA , Georgia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- It has been heartening to witness the outpouring of worldwide enthusiasm over the election of Barack Obama as the next president of the United States , a transformational moment for our country . Our incoming president has huge challenges ahead of him , and he will undoubtedly reach out to other world leaders to help address the most difficult problems . A high priority will be the restoration of human rights , which have been badly eroded in recent years . President-elect Obama has reiterated his decision to close GuantÃ ¡ namo Bay detention center and end U.S.-sponsored torture . Also under discussion is the establishment by the U.S. government of an independent commission to examine the actions that led to these shameful policies and practices . Together , these steps would