Award Winners Announced at International Human Rights Day

Three Nova Scotians are the recipients of the Human Rights Award for their continued dedication to advancing Human Rights in the province.

The awards were presented at the International Human Rights Day Event today, Dec. 10, held at L'nu Sipuk Kina Muokuom/Indian Brook House of Learning, Indian Brook.

The recipients of the 2009 Human Rights Awards are:

• Helena Jockel, Halifax. She has taken her message about the brutality of the Holocaust and genocide to young people across the province. As a survivor of the Holocaust, Ms. Jockel believes that, despite the pain of sharing her story, it is her duty to warn young people about injustice and human cruelty so that they may overcome hatred and intolerance in the future.

• Philip Riteman, Bedford. He is a Holocaust survivor who works to give voice to the millions who died in the concentration camps and can not speak for themselves. By telling others about his time in Auschwitz and other concentration camps, Mr. Riteman aims to silence Holocaust deniers who claim that the extermination of six million Jews by the Germans during the Second World War either never occurred or was greatly exaggerated. The message he carries is one of love rather than hate so that a future without genocides may be possible.

• Viola Robinson, Truro. She has been an advocate and leader for Mi'kmaq rights in the province. She served as the president of the Native Council of Nova Scotia and the Native Council of Canada and has worked tirelessly to end discrimination against Mi'kmaw people and Aboriginal women. Ms. Robinson worked with the provincial and federal governments and the Mi'kmaw community to help develop the Made-in-Nova Scotia process for negotiating treaty rights and governance.

"Helena Jockel, Philip Riteman, and Viola Robinson are exemplary examples of the strength and resilience of the human spirit," Ross Landry, Minister responsible for the Human Rights Act said in a statement. "They have overcome adversity and used their experiences to make Nova Scotia a better place for human rights and for today's families."

"The theme of today's event was Stand Up for Hope. The recipients demonstrate this by standing up in their communities and the province," said Krista Daley, director and CEO of the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission. "Their messages and stories highlight the need to create awareness about human rights and continue to inspire other to do the same."

The event was a joint effort by L'nu Sipuk Kina Muokuom/Indian Brook House of Learning, Partners for Human Rights and the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission. It featured a variety of speakers and dancers and a cultural breakfast.

"Partners for Human Rights really enjoyed working with Indian Brook House of Learning to take the event into a community outside of the Halifax area," said co-chair Sandra Smith Muir. "Together, we encourage all Nova Scotians to stand up for hope and make positive changes in our communities."

A human rights celebration also took place in Kings County. The Municipality of Kings County, the Race Relations and Anti-discrimination Committee, and the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission held a public ceremony and flag-raising in Kentville.

On Dec. 10, 1948, members of the United Nations gathered in Paris to adopt the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Canadian John Humphrey drafted the original document, which shaped and enhanced human rights across the globe.