Human Rights Day 2011

The Human Rights Commission of Amherst Town along with Amnesty International Chapter (Group 128) held its annual celebration event in the Town Hall to mark the Human Rights Day... artists came to participate from as far as Holyoke City and Manchester, NH... 2 popular Sudanese artists (refugees from Sudan) participated; Abdalla Mohamed Abdalla (Flute) and Tamador Gibreel (Drum & Vocal)...
In this photo (by Reynolds Winslow) The Human Rights Director of Amherst Town, Eunice Torres, speaks with artists before their performance... Also, next to Tamador, sits activist Fanny Rothschild. Fanny is an important voice for Sudanese refugees in the Pioneer Valley and helping a lot in exposing the human rights violations in Sudan. The actions of Fanny and many other activists in the Valley helped to save the Girifna leaders (a human rights group) from torture on the hands of the sudanese regime.

Prior to this event, a group of 20 activists hold a candle vigil the night before and reflected on the human rights around the globe while they read the 30 Articles of the Universal Human Rights Declaration

Happy Human Rights Day....

Human Rights Day 2011

Photo source
From the UN Website
"This year, millions of people decided the time had come to claim their rights. They took to the streets and demanded change. Many found their voices using the internet and instant messaging to inform, inspire and mobilize supporters to seek their basic human rights. Social media helped activists organize peaceful protest movements in cities across the globe - from Tunis to Madrid, from Cairo to New York - at times in the face of violent repression.
Human rights belong equally to each of us and bind us together as a global community with the same ideals and values. As a global community we all share a day in common: Human Rights Day on 10 December, when we remember the creation 63 years ago of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
On Human Rights Day 2011, we pay tribute to all human rights defenders and ask you to get involved in the global human rights movement."

Come and join us in downtown Amherst on Fri 12/9 @ 6pm (at the corner of Main and South Pleasant streets) in our annual vigil to observe this important day... The Town's Human Rights Commission and many other human rights activists will be gathering to read the 30 articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.