Human Rights and Volunteer Awards Presented

HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION--CXN--Human Rights and Volunteer Awards Presented

To commemorate International Human Rights Day on Monday, Dec. 10, two awards were presented by the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission at events held at Pier 21, Halifax.

The Human Rights Award was presented to the Cole Harbour Community Radio Society in recognition of its creative means of promoting and protecting human rights and working to eliminate racial discrimination in local communities.

The society was formed after racial violence and community conflict closed Cole Harbour District High School for a week in the fall of 1997. Members of the community formed the radio society as a constructive way of dealing with complex social issues and to bridge the culturally diverse communities that make up the high school.

Volunteers worked for over two years to get the station, CHCN, up and running in June 2001. The station features music by local talent and community school news and information.

Volunteer awards were also presented on Monday in recognition of the International Year of Volunteers. These awards recognized the assistance provided by volunteers to airline passengers diverted to Halifax in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in the United States.

Rabbi Mendel and Bassie Feldman, directors of Chabad-Lubavitch of the Maritimes Outreach Organization, were presented with a Volunteer Award for their efforts in assisting passengers from the Jewish community.

Working with synagogues and the Atlantic Jewish Council, the Feldmans took passengers into their home and provided kosher meals. They also provided religious services and translation for people who did not speak English. They worked specifically with Jon Goldberg, executive director of the council, to organize a bus to transport individuals back to New York in time for Rosh Hashanna and Yom Kippur.

The Human Rights Commission also recognized the efforts of volunteers in the community to assist the more than 8,000 passengers from all around the world. A Volunteer Award was also accepted by the Emergency Measures Organization of Nova Scotia and the Halifax Regional Emergency Measures Organization.

Mike Lester, director of EMO(NS), and Peter Bigelow, representing the Halifax Regional EMO, accepted the award on behalf of all Nova Scotians who welcomed stranded passengers into their homes and who worked around the clock to ensure that food and shelter were available. Many volunteers also made themselves available at the emergency shelters throughout the metro area and at other sites.