Moving in the Open Daylight: Doc Evatt, an Australian at the United Nations

The year was 1945. The place was San Francisco. The topic was the world.

Ashley Hogan tells the story of a moment in human history when Australia became known for its courage and liberalism. At the conference that founded the United Nations, Australia spoke to the Great Powers on behalf of the other nations of the world with a voice that commanded universal respect. That voice belonged to Dr Herbert Vere Evatt.

Three years later, Doc Evatt’s commitment to an international order that included all nations was rewarded by his election as President of the General Assembly. His belief that lasting peace could not be secured without economic and social justice flowered into the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Moving in the Open Daylight is a short book about a big story. For a world that has once again become rent by inequality and war, it is an important and inspiring story.