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UNITED Tour 2005
An award-winning music video to promote human rights education as a tool to resolve violence and turmoil in the world has inspired a new educational booklet and teaching package, released on a five-country world tour.
From July 17 to August 9, 2005, Youth for Human Rights International and the Human Rights Department of the Church of Scientology International co-organized the UNITED Tour 2005 to spread the word about the importance of teaching and implementing the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Starting from Los Angeles, the three-week tour included Mexico, Venezuela, Ghana, India and Thailand, focusing on Ghana and India, with a week spent in each location.
Taron Lexton, director of the UNITED music video, winner at the New York Independent Film Festival and the UNESCO Human Rights Film Festival in Florence, and Mary Shuttleworth, President of Youth for Human Rights International, released a special UNITED edition of What Are Human Rights? as part of an educational package, "Learning to be UNITED."
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Isaac Samuel Nsubuga from Uganda speaks at Panafest
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"Children are growing up in an increasingly violent world, and we want government officials to adopt effective human rights education as the long-term solution to ethnic and religious violence as well as terrorism," said Shuttleworth.
As part of the tour, Leisa Goodman, Human Rights Director of the Church of Scientology International, joined Lexton and Shuttleworth in Cape Coast, Ghana, for a two-day series of human rights events featured during the Pan-African festival Panafest 2005. Attended by tens of thousands, including more than 5,000 African and international visitors from 32 countries, Panafest is one of the largest gatherings of the African Continent and is organized by the African Union, the government of Ghana and the King of Cape Coast.
The King, Osabarimba Kwesi Atta II, who opened the event, was presented with the UNITED education package by Shuttleworth and Goodman. Along with special guest speakers and performances by Ghanaian and Nigerian dance ensembles, the highlight was a series of presentations by youth delegates representing Ghana, Nigeria, Liberia, Uganda and the United States. They discussed issues facing today's youth and encouraged young people to understand and protect their human rights.
In India, Youth for Human Rights International, the Church of Scientology and the government of New Delhi held a Youth for Human Rights International Summit inaugurated by the Honorable Sh. K.R. Narayanan, former President of India. After a screening of UNITED, President Narayanan released the Hindi edition of What Are Human Rights? "
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Aztec Indians in Mexico start their own
Youth for Human Rights campaign
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"By imparting the values of human rights to our youth, we help develop today's and tomorrow's advocates for justice, tolerance and peace," the President stated. Youth delegates from 15 countries, including Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Pakistan, took part in a lively, interactive discussion with the young audience.
In February and March 2004, Lexton and Shuttleworth took part in a World Educational Tour through 14 countries, meeting with government officials and human rights leaders and addressing thousands of young people on the importance of human rights. Much of the footage for UNITED was filmed during the World Educational Tour.
More information can be obtained at unitedmusicvideo.org and scientology.org.
Back to 2005 Human Rights Campaign
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