Del Walters Kicks off Human Rights 60th Anniversary

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) December 10, 2007 -- Del Walters, Youth Organization Mark
Start of the 60th Anniversary Year Of the
U.N.’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

December 10, 2007

For Information Contact:
Sylvia Stanard
202-667-6404

Washington, DC – Local journalist Del Walters and the Youth for Human Rights International today kicked off the 60th anniversary year of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The Declaration, which was ratified by the United Nations on December 10th, 1948, was drafted by a UN Commission chaired by Eleanor Roosevelt who envisioned its use in schools, local communities, farms and factories to help educate children and adults alike about human rights.

Emmy Award winning Washington area journalist, investigative reporter and author, Del Walters, marked the occasion by speaking about and showing portions of his new film which had its premier earlier this year at the Cannes International Film Festival. The film is an investigative documentary which exposes the Nixon Administration and the CIA's dealings with post-colonial Africa. Walters executive produced the movie. Walters also announced that a reception and full showing of the film would be held Monday, December 10, 2007 at 6:30 pm at the L. Ron Hubbard House, 1812 19th Street NW, Washington, DC.

Youth for Human Rights International (YHRI) is an independent non-profit corporation headquartered in Los Angeles, with the purpose of educating people about the Universal Declaration of Human Rights so they become valuable advocates for tolerance and peace.

“Name a totalitarian or oppressive government in the world today and you’ve also named a government which does not want its citizens to know about the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,” said Sadie James, Director of the Youth for Human Rights Washington, DC chapter. “But today, through the efforts of Youth for Human Rights and countless allied groups and individuals around the world, the message of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is getting out and is making a difference. Eleanor Roosevelt foresaw a world in which human rights would be taught in the schools and discussed in the streets of commerce. Not since its original passage have so many been involved in such widespread distribution of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.”

YHRI holds events and produces instructional tools to raise human rights awareness such as the award-winning music video UNITED – a street-savvy, multi-ethnic, five-minute film in 15 languages – conveying the power of human rights awareness.

“Youth for Human Rights believes, as L. Ron Hubbard said that ‘Human rights must be made a fact, not an idealistic dream,’ said James. “By getting out the word about the Declaration and producing educational materials that really speak to the youth of the world, we can make a difference now and for the generations still to come.”

YHRI recently released a series of 30 audiovisual public service announcements, one for each article of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The first of these messages, released in late 2005, have been screened to more than 130 million people worldwide. YHRI also publishes the UNITED Human Rights Handbook which provides educators and leaders with a practical tool to teach human rights to the youth.

Sylvia Stanard, the Research Director for the Church of Scientology’s Human Rights Office helped to organize the event.

“Sixty years ago, as the world was recovering from the devastation of World War II and was just beginning to comprehend the horrors of the Nazis pogram, Eleanor Roosevelt’s team defined human rights,” said Stanard. “Six decades later, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is more applicable and more needed than ever.”


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More information can be found online at http://www.youthforhumanrights.org/index.htm

del walters     eleanor roosevelt     human rights     united nations