Thursday 10th December
12.30 Barkers Pool. Rally with speakers and street theatre. Bring your banners.
16.30.-18.00 Candle lit vigil outside Sheffield Railway Station
HUMAN RIGHTS DAY 10TH DECEMBER 2009 IN SHEFFIELD
All over the world next Thursday, 10th December, people will celebrate Human Rights Day. It is the 61st anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).
The UDHR declaration sets down the basic principles at the very heart of the human rights movement. It has enabled remarkable progress in human rights, inspiring international human rights standards, laws and institutions that have improved the lives of many around the world.
We need to remind our political leaders of the commitments to human rights made sixty years ago by their predecessors.
These commitments have not been upheld. Virtually every country in the world abuses people's rights.
And the UK is no exception, for example the government:
• has deported people to war zones and to countries where they face torture and ill treatment and even death.
• stands accused on strong evidence of complicity in torture.
• is attempting to introduce secret inquests.
• imprisons child asylum seekers and subjects asylum seekers to a life of destitution.
• Uses Special Immigration Courts and uses "control orders" – long term house arrest and social isolation- on evidence to which “the defendant” has no access.
Here in Sheffield a coalition of various organisations working on human rights, along with students from the city’s two universities, are joining together to provide Human Rights Day action across the city centre. We have planned debates, a candlelight vigil, street theatres, a petition.
We are asking people in Sheffield to stand up with us and help make human rights a reality for everyone by supporting our events.
These include lunch-time rallies at Barkers Pool (12.30) and Hallam Square with a big banner and placards based on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which will feature by readings from speeches, poems, etc. on human rights themes.
From 4.30 to 6.00pm there will be a candle lit vigil outside the railway station.
Please let us know if you need any further information on these matters or if you would like to interview any members of our participating organisations.
Sheffield Amnesty International
Sheffield Hallam University Amnesty International
Sheffield Liberty
Sheffield Guantanamo Campaign
Justice for the NW10
CDAS
SMAAG