Youth for Human Rights

Human Rights Hero Award Given for Art Miles Mural Project

Human Rights Hero Award Given for

Art Miles Mural Project

"This idea started when I was working with orphans

in post-conflict Bosnia and Herzegovina.

They created a mural on a bullet-riddled sheet.

It was there that I decided to initiate, facilitate, and create

a 'mural movement'...

The project so far has visually documented

the voices of hundreds of thousands of participants

from over 125 countries.

Because it has no language, religion, or political barriers,

it is a real tool for peace building." - Joanne Tawfilis

An Art Miles Mural Project is displayed at the

YHRI 8th Annual International Human Rights Summit

as Joanne Tawfilis receives her Human Rights Hero Award

Annual Art, Essay and Poetry Competitions

Youth Use Bold Statements and Brilliant Images to Depict "What are Human Rights?"

"...Millions are suffering, women are struggling, human trafficking and child labour is still at its peak, justice is often inequitable and peace continues to elude many people of the world. Apartheid and racial discrimination is still practised. Millions of people still spend sleepless nights from fear of a tormentor. It is the great demand of the present times to look at such issues, if we wish to live full term lives and with our limbs intact. And join hands to fight back, as our silence will encourage the tormentor, never the tormented..."

Youth for Human Rights Essay Contest Entry from India

inspires others to defend their human rights

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Youth in Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe and Oceania were inspired to enter Youth for Human Rights International's annual art, essay and poetry competitions in 2011. The bold statements and brilliant images, depicted in relevant settings and scenarios, radiate clear understandings of universal human rights worthy of a full exhibition. This newsletter focuses not on winners but on diversity of the entries. Included is just a small collection to showcase the diversity of origins, age groups, and types of mediums used, as well as a group mural art project which is a first of its kind.

12- and 13-year-olds in New Zealand with their mural art promoting the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights

on the wall of the school playground

Contest winners in New Zealand learned about the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) through the educational resources provided by Youth for Human Rights. These students took key words from the 30 UDHR articles which they felt were important and meant the most to them, and then painted these words onto wooden cut-outs of themselves.

Artwork from a youth in Indonesia highlights the Right to Education

Another depicts diversity and mutual help and

understanding in this portrayal of human rights

Human Rights

The rights you have because you're a boy.

The rights you have because you're a girl.

The rights you have because you're a child.

And the ones you have because you're an adult.

The rights that your brothers and sisters and parents have.

The ones someone in a far off corner of the world you've never even thought about have.

The one thing that you and your best friends and your worst enemies all have in common.

The rights that some fight against every day, even though there's twice as many people fighting back.

The rights you have because you are a human.

Youth's Poetry Contest entry: "Human Rights"

The challenge of human rights for all is expressed in a 14-year-old's art

A South Korean 15-year-old depicts the Freedom to Move

The highest number of submissions came from the Philippines, especially from McKinley Hill International School & Leadership Academy for Children Lipa and their Pioneer Partners, selected Public Elementary Schools for the Right Respecting School Award in association with IamSAM Foundation and United for Human Rights Philippines.

The Right to Education is portrayed in artwork by

a 15-year-old from the Philippines

"When human rights are not well known

there will be oppression and slavery."

From a 9-year-old's essay contest entry from the Philippines

This artwork by a 13-year-old from the United States depicts the fact that human rights unite people of all cultures

A 13-year-old's art shows life nurturing human rights

in its challenge to injustice

An American youth's art portrays his understanding of

the promise of human rights

Youth for Human Rights International launched its global movement with an essay contest in 2001. The response to the call for entries describing the individual human rights was widespread and enthusiastic, depicting a world of cooperation and peace through human rights education.

One of the first winning essays was from a 10-year-old boy who wrote: "Discrimination was not born in the heart of a child."

Local, regional and international art, essay and poetry contests continue to be powerful activities for getting youth involved and learning about human rights. A selection of entries will be on display during the annual International Human Rights Summit.

www.youthforhumanrights.org

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Youth for Human Rights International is a nonprofit corporation. We work to inspire youth around the world to become valuable advocates for tolerance and peace. We depend on dedicated volunteers and generous support from like-minded individuals, groups and organizations.

Your support is needed. Working together to teach human rights we can make a difference. Youth who know their rights can defend against or report abuses. Our youth are the heartbeat of our future.

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