Students Take Aim at Human Rights Through Art and Poetry
Nova Scotia students are being invited to think about who plays basketball, hockey, baseball, marbles, tag and other games in their communities -- and about who may be intentionally or unintentionally excluded from the fun.
Partners Against Racism (PAR) -- a coalition of concerned organizations dedicated to promoting and protecting human rights -- is hosting a contest that is encouraging students to submit art posters, essays or short stories, and poetry sharing their thoughts and ideas about human rights.
Winning submissions will be announced at PAR's International Human Rights Day event being held at the Dartmouth Sportsplex on Thursday, Dec. 8.
PAR committee members hope the contest will get young people thinking about this year's theme -- Everyone Has the Right to Play: Breaking Down Barriers Through Fun, Play & Sports -- and about ways they can help battle discrimination on and off the playgrounds and sports fields.
"Through the poster, poetry and essay contest, PAR is giving students an opportunity to reflect on human rights and on ways they can help ensure that everyone is treated with dignity and respect," said Mayann Francis, director and CEO of the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission. The commission is a member of PAR.
The winning poems, essays or stories, and posters will be used at all PAR events for the coming year and the posters and poems will be published on bookmarks that will be made available to students throughout the province.
The deadline for submissions is Friday, Nov. 25. For more information on the contest see the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission website at www.gov.ns.ca/humanrights .
Dec. 10 marks the 57th International Human Rights Day, the anniversary of the day that the United Nations adopted and proclaimed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
PAR's Dec. 8 celebration of the occasion begins at 8:30 a.m. with a continental breakfast and continues until noon with guest speakers, sports demonstrations and entertainment. Admission is free.