The 60th Anniversary of the Declaration of Human Rights

Next Wednesday, December 10th, marks the 60th Anniversary of the Declaration of Human Rights. For many of today’s Americans, “the right to life, liberty and security of person,” or “the right to freedom of peaceful assembly” may seem obvious, expected, and even inherent. However, these two rights, along with 28 other rights, were not codified and made a part of international law until the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was promulgated sixty years ago.

As it happens, few individuals know the full timeline of events that assembled these seemingly natural truths into the realities that they are now. Even more disturbing, many still suffer from basic inequalities that the UDHR condemns. Next Wednesday's marking of the 60th Anniversary of the Declaration of Human Rights is a momentous occasion that not only humbles and reminds us all of this document’s “promise to humanity,” but also salutes those that fought against injustice and those that continue to “recognize, promote, and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms” both here in the United States and around the world.

This upcoming anniversary is very much on the radar of several of the Foundation’s grantees. The following is an events calendar leading up to and coinciding with the anniversary to show the many ways our grantees are planning to get involved during this 60th anniversary. A special thanks to Sarah Kelly, Overbrook's fall intern for gathering this list for us.

Advocates for Youth
20TH Anniversary Conference: Rights, Respect, Responsibility: A New Paradigm for Healthy Adolescent Sexuality
December 2 through 4, 2001
Wyndham Washington Hotel in Washington, DC
For More Information about the Conference or a Registration Brochure Visit
http://www.rightsrespectresponsibility.org/ or http://www.advocatesforyouth.org/ or E-mail Advocates for Youth at conf@advocatesforyouth.org

Amnesty International
1. UDHR Celebration
Monday, Nov 24 at 6:30pm
The New York Society for Ethical Culture at 2 West 64th Street, New York, NY
Please RSVP to Jack Phillips at (212) 633 4174 or JPhillips@aiusa.org before Nov 19th
2. Amnesty International's Small Places Tour Global Music and Human Rights Project
Visit http://www.smallplacestour.info/site/

The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center
1. Blog about the UDHR at www.gaycenter.org/advocacy
2. NYCHRI's UDHR 60 Campaign and NYCHRI Human Rights Breakfast
December 10th
3. Public Policy Community Education Forum
December 2, 2008 6-9 PM at the Center, entitled, A New Administration: Moving a Progressive LGBT Agenda Forward
4. Chew On This! December will take place at the Center on Human Rights Day and will focus on Making Another World Possible: LGBT People and Neoliberalism. *Note this event is open only to Center staff and interns
5. Human Rights 101 training at the Center's youth program, Youth Enrichment Services (Y.E.S.'s) upcoming "Breaking Walls, Building Bridges: Gender & Justice" conference
Saturday, December 6 from 10AM - 6PM at the Center
Visit www.gaycenter.org/YES


Civil Liberties and Public Policy Program
Advocacy Campaign to raise awareness of U.S. obligations and shortcomings under the UDHR and human rights law
Create a short video about UDHR and win a trip to NYC: The Prize: One (1) winner will receive roundtrip airfare and lodging in New York City** to attend the December 10th, 2008 session of the United Nations General Assembly to participate in celebrations for the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights! In addition, the winner's winning entry will be entered onto a feed on the ACLU's YouTube page and the UDHR 60 website!
For more information and details about the contest visit http://www.udhr60.org/udhr_vid.html

International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission
Participation in the 16 Days of Activism
November 25-December 10, 2008
The 16 Days of Activism is an international campaign spearheaded by the Center for Women’s Global Leadership and designed to draw attention to the fact that violence against women is a human rights violation
Information is available at http://www.cwgl.rutgers.edu/16days/home.html

The Opportunity Agenda
The Opportunity Agenda is engaged in a media campaign around the 60th Anniversary and Human Rights Day although is not date-specific. They will report back on the success of their campaign shortly after December 10th.

Urban Justice Center
Urban Justice Center along with The New York City Human Rights Initiative invites you to “At Breakfast with Human Rights”. Please join them in celebrating the 60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and the end of the 60-day Human Rights Campaign.
December 10th, 2008, 9:00-10:30am at the Puck Building – 295 Lafayette Street, 2nd Floor. Please RSVP at tbejar@urbanjustice

Women's Law and Public Policy Fellowship Program
Leadership and Advocacy for Women in Africa Program
Georgetown University Law Center
600 New Jersey Avenue, NW, Suite 336
Washington, DC 20001
Urban Justice Center fellows will be attending two hearings at the U.S. Supreme Court: AT&T Corp v. Hulteen (involving the Pregnancy Discrimination Act under Title VII and gender-based employment discrimination) and Ashcroft v. Iqbal (involving discrimination suits against high-level officials)