These notes are for anyone preparing to co-recite an article from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. They expand on the guidance Monica Ross developed while touring Anniversary – an act of memory and reflect how Robert Ayers and the Monica Ross Archive continue welcoming new voices today.
Anniversary – an act of memory began as 60 recitations delivered by Monica Ross and co-recitors. Since her death, people across the world have continued to perform their own recitations of the UDHR. Interest keeps growing, so the Archive is now offering resources, guidance, and support for anyone who wishes to stage their own recitation, and collaborating with Robert Ayers and co-recitors on 80 new recitations for the 80th anniversary of the Declaration in 2028.
One Unity — A Collective Recitation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Saturday 10 January 2026 · New Unity @ Newington Green, London N16 9PR
Doors 3pm · Recitation 4pm · Free event
Please join us as a co-recitor or as a member of the audience for a collective, multilingual recitation from memory of the UDHR, led by artist Robert Ayers and co-recitors — sign up via our Google Form or email us for guidance.
Sign up to co-recite Request resources
Community groups or schools who would like resources to host their own collective recitation can reach us directly.
You can find translations of the Declaration in many languages and formats here. Your approach to reading the Declaration is unique. Your experience of reading it may raise many questions and emotions.
Perhaps there are ways you would like to amend, update, or translate it. This is the important work of engaging your civic scrutiny of the Declaration that Anniversary – an act of memory sets out to support.
“I went to read the Declaration for the first time, and I got one sentence in and I was so shocked at my own complacency — one, that I had never read it; two, that I assumed that I knew what it said, but I didn’t; and also that I had this very privileged, Western relationship to the document, which was ‘well, we don’t really need it, everything’s fine here’.”
“I decided that I would try and learn it off by heart to see if I could make it part of me and then the second step was to try and recite it publicly, to do a public action where you repeat it as a form of dissemination or reproduction.”
— Monica Ross
Choose an article that speaks to you. You can choose as many or as few as you like and, if you want to, you can share an article to recite together.
You could try repeatedly writing out your article, singing it, reading it aloud while walking, dancing, or whatever works for you.
You will be welcomed by Robert Ayers, who will be leading the recitation. You are invited to add your name, article, and language to the article list if you wish, but you don’t have to.
You’ll meet your fellow co-recitors and decide together what order you’ll take your shared articles in.
The recitation will be filmed and photos may be taken on the day. You can choose any of the following options:
When everyone is ready Robert will say the article number and pause. When you hear your article you may step forwards and recite.
The most important part is just after the recitation when refreshments are served and there’s time to share the experience of co-reciting together.
If you can’t make it on the day or you decide not to recite you’ve still been part of this important work by reading and reflecting on the UDHR.
Get in touch for resources to hold your own act of memory: info@monicarossarchive.org.
Questions or ideas? Email info@monicarossarchive.org so we can help you plan, document, and share your act of memory.
Return to the full Anniversary – an act of memory archive for the timeline, films, and previous acts.