Tomorrow: Human Rights Day
Minister of Youth, Families, Sports and Community Development Glen Blakeney announced today (Dec 9) that the Human Rights Commission will be joining the rest of the world in acknowledging Human Rights Day tomorrow.
Human Rights Day is celebrated each year on December 10th. The UNHCR (United Nations Human Rights Commission) issues themes for the Day each year, and invites countries to integrate the broad themes into their country’s celebration of the day. The 2010 theme is “Human rights defenders who act to end discrimination”.
This year the Human Rights Commission is collaborating with the Bermuda National Gallery in hosting a ‘Human Writes’ workshop on the December 10, 2010 from 12-3pm.
Approximately 40 students and 10 teachers will participate in a creative writing exercise responding to questions surrounding what human rights looks and feels like to the students.
Participating students will be better informed about the mandate and associated roles of the HRC, and other local advocacy organizations such as Amnesty International, Chewstick and Imagine Bermuda, as promoters and resources for anti-discrimination,
Conversely, these organisations will be better informed following input from the students surrounding their understanding and experience of discrimination, social justice and human rights.
As Mrs. Joanne Ball-Burgess, Education Officer at the BNG, shared, “We hope that this “Human Writes” Workshop is the beginning of allowing our children to realize that as artists/writers they have the power to convey new ideas to change our community for the better.”
Meanwhile the Executive Officer of the Human Rights Commission, Ms. Lisa Lister said, “There has long been a natural synergy with the arts and the promotion of social justice and human rights – both in Bermuda and around the world – and the Commission is keen to honour this relationship. The arts have a unique capacity to raise awareness, and to provide diverse expression in support of anti-discrimination for all in Bermuda.”
Ms. Lister added, “As outlined in the Act, the Commission is charged to facilitate the process to resolve complaints and to reduce barriers to equality. However, the majority of the Act speaks clearly of the primary role of the Commission, which is to promote an understanding of human rights in Bermuda and to encourage people to follow the principles of equality which are enshrined in the Human Rights Act, 1981 and the Bermuda Constitution”.
Looking forward to 2011 the Commission says they intends to continue this model of workshop in addition to a host of education and awareness efforts with the wider community.
The HRC says they want to thank the Bermuda National Gallery, in particular, Mrs. Joanne Ball-Burgess, along with Ms. Lucy Attride-Stirling of Amnesty International and Gavin Smith of Chewstick for collaborating on this event.
This date was chosen to honor the United Nations General Assembly’s adoption and proclamation, on December 10, 1948, of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), the first global enunciation of human rights.
The formal establishment of Human Rights Day occurred at the 317th Plenary Meeting of the General Assembly on December 4, 1950, when the General Assembly declared resolution 423(V), inviting all member states and any other interested organizations to celebrate the day as they saw fit.
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