Fifty-eight years after its adoption, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights comes to life in 30 new public service announcements.
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| United Nations officials, embassy representatives and celebrities joined 120 youth delegates from 25 nations at an international youth summit honoring human rights heroes and featuring the world premiere of a unique new human rights education tool. |
United Nations officials, representatives comming from different embassies and celebrities joined actress Anne Archer and 120 delegates from 25 nations across the globe at an international youth summit honoring human rights heroes. This event featured a new tool for use in teaching people what their human rights are with 30 public service announcements, each portraying a different article of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
The "Summit on Making Human Rights a Global Reality" was held in the United Nations headquarters, New York. This summit drew human rights activists from countries all over the world including the United States, France, Britain, Uganda, Nepal, Liberia, Egypt, Guyana, Colombia and Mexico.
Organized by the Church of Scientology International in coordination with Youth for Human Rights International along with the International Foundation for Human Rights and Tolerance, the summit featured the presentation of International Human Rights Hero awards presented by Anne Archer.
The Delegates were welcomed by Mr. Enzo di Taranto of "United Nations Action Two" and Mr. Hans Janischek, the President of the United Nations Society of Writers.
The new public service announcements, produced by the Church of Scientology International and Youth for Human Rights International and directed by 22-year-old Taron Lexton received a standing ovation from the 450 people attending the summit.
Honored with International Human Rights Hero Awards were Iranian-born Nazanin Afshim-Jam, a former Miss Canada, who has become a prominent advocate for the human rights of the disadvantaged; Joseph Jay Yaseriah, founder of the Youth for Human Rights Chapter in Liberia who grew up during the horrific genocides of the 1990s and was twice forced to flee his country before returning to bring reconstruction and reconciliation to his fellow Liberians; Luse Berking, a native Samoan who works with at-risk youth in New Zealand; Chinese-born Teresa Chung, a writer and advocate for women's rights; and Maxim Weithers who works toward human rights education in Canada.
"L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of the Scientology religion, stressed the importance of human rights, writing: 'Human rights must be made a fact, not an idealistic dream,'" said Leisa Goodman, Human Rights Director of the Church of Scientology International. "With the tremendous popularity of these PSAs, the work of Human Rights Heroes such as those who were awarded here today and the grassroots movement to implement human rights education for all youth around the world gaining such momentum, we know we will make this 'dream' come true."
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| The youth delegate from Japan is shown here with Teresa Chung and Nazanin Afshim-Jam, two Human Rights Heroes awarded at the ceremony. |
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| Joseph Jay Yaseriah, founder of the Youth for Human Rights Liberia Chapter, was awarded as a "Human Rights Hero" for his work to bring peace to his country. |