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Youth Group Makes Case for Human Rights
Added: (Fri Dec 16 2005)
50,000 women and children are brought into the United States annually as slaves. This massive human rights violation is happening now, right here in our country and much of it right here in Florida. Youth for Human Rights Club, is a group of courageous teens who are doing something to make human rights a fact.
December 3, 2005 -- Travis Weber and his friend, 17-year-old Eagle Scout Nick Lister, who are co-founders of the Tampa Bay chapter of the Youth for Human Rights,(YHR) have educated over 200 children and adults in just 3 short months since their formation. In October, YHR of Tampa Bay presented over 100 students of Clearwater Academy with the What are Human Rights? booklets and a riveting dvd called "United" that was written, directed and produced by another teen from Los Angeles to underscore the purpose of making human rights everybody’s business. The film, which was released in September 2004, has already been accepted into seven film festivals, including the New York International Independent Film and Video Festival – the largest film festival in the world.
The booklet, first published in 2001 by Youth for Human Rights International, explains the 30 precepts of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to young people. The Church of Scientology International, an active campaigner for human rights for the last four decades, sponsored thousands of copies of Youth for Human Rights International’s educational booklet, “What are Human Rights?” in 19 different languages and the Human Rights Department of the Church of Scientology International has partnered with YHRI on its larger projects.
Travis also told the students that the Tampa Bay Chapter of the Youth for Human Rights Club was formed to teach kids their human rights through presentations like the one at the school and through distribution of the What are Human Rights? booklet. It is also a voice where youth can speak out against abuses to human rights in the Tampa Bay area. Youth for Human Rights International was founded by educator and school principal Mary Shuttleworth in August 2001. The group does not proselytize for any religion or philosophy but respects the rights of all adherents to hold and practice the belief of their choice.
14-year old Adi Levy of Clearwater Academy also spoke to the students and told them of her visit to the United Nations in New York in the summer of this year. She said that she learned about how many children in some countries and starving and what the United Nations is doing to provide food for them as well as how the it is bringing proper education to Third World countries. However, 15-year Cassidy Thompson, who is originally from Missouri, said that she has known school kids in Missouri who live mostly on bread and water because they didn’t have enough money for food.
After the presentation, 17-year old Nigel Williams said, “I really learned the importance of human rights from today’s event. I never realized that I didn’t even know what my human rights are and now I see that I should know them.
Urban League Presentation:
Then in November, members of the Youth for Human Rights group did a presentation on human rights to dozens of youth and adults at a special Urban League meeting at the Lee Davis Community Center in Tampa. The Deputy Director for the Youth for Human Rights of Tampa Bay, Travis Weber, showed the UNITED DVD and the public service announcements depicting 3 articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: 1) Don’t Discriminate, 2) Freedom of Expression and 3) Freedom of Thought. Young and old responded to the universal message. One adult wants the YHR club to do presentations in Spanish and another wanted them to visit the elderly. Most encouraging of all were the 10 young people who clamoured for more United dvd's and "What are Human Rights?" booklets as well as with questions about what they could do to join the Club.
YHR group members have also been educating their friends, relatives and contacts on a daily basis about human rights.
There are now over 50 teens in the Youth for Human Rights Club of Tampa Bay.
For more information contact:
www.youthforhumanrights.org
www.myspace.com/yhrtampa/