Maya Angelou

INVICTUS-SOUTH AFRICA

INVICTUS CONT.

Latin, meaning: unconquered, unconquerable, undefeated

  

 I began my first blog entry in 2010 with one of the most powerful, and inspirational poems of our time, Invictus, by William Ernest Hensely. After watching the film Invictus, one of the most poignant scenes was one in which Morgan Freeman, who depicts Nelson Mandela exceptionally, reminisces about his years imprisoned on Robin Island. What resonates with me about this poem is the message that no matter the trials and tribulations one faces in life, perseverance and resilience are both necessary fortifications to withstand any obstacle.  The last stanza that states, “ It matters not how strait the gate, how charged with punishments the scroll, I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul”, which indicates that with true tenacity one can surpass any form of difficulty, and reign victorious in the end. This poem will continue to be my source of inspiration when my path seems uncertain

The film focuses primarily on Nelson Mandela, who was the then incumbent president of the “New South Africa”, following the dismantling of Apartheid. Many of Mandela’s advisers were dubious when he sought to unite the Springbok Rugby team. Mandela understood that dissension and antipathy within the national team was a direct reflection of societal discordance. This film depicts the struggle Mandela faced in the process to foster a united Springbok team and inevitably a United South Africa.

Sadly remnants of the oppressive Apartheid system still exists, as the minority white population controls a majority of the economic wealth. The vast populations mainly of Bantu or indigenous origin are still immobilized and unwillingly segregated from the new system, which was restructured to be inclusive and fair. 

This semester in my Government and Politics of Sub-Saharan African course, we learned of about several cases in Rwanda, Sudan, and South Africa where vestiges of imperialism serve as the impetus for issues prevalent today, pertaining to ethnic conflict, genocide, and grave socio-political and economic disparities. In South Africa, we learned of a woman named Sandra Laing. Sandra was caught in the maelstrom of the Apartheid Afrikaner Nationalist movement. Implementing institutional racism and allocating resources based on racial stratification were primary outcomes of the Nationalist Party. The novel When She Was White by Judith Stone is a necessary read for those who have heard of the repressive movement, but are unable to associate the reprehensible events with a person directly affected by it. It is far more important although, to accept the mistreatment as the past, and strive for a better tomorrow and more so to make a concerted effort to reach solutions to thwart the continuance of Human Rights violations globally.

This is the Novel When she was White by Judith Stone and the film associated with Sandra Laing's troubling story entitled Skin, portrayed by the phenomenal actress Sophie Okonedo 

Sharing Your Experience/ Meeting Minutes

SHARING YOUR EXPERIENCE

9/24/2015

UNESCO Minutes

9/24/2015

  Student Ambassador: By Allie Leveillee

Cape Town Study Abroad Experience:

            I had the privilege to study abroad in Cape Town, South Africa in the spring of 2014 and learn about two very different sides of the same city. Downtown Cape Town and the surrounding beaches and mountains are beautiful, fun and a luxurious vacation destination, but this is not where I learned about the history, culture and social ills of South Africa. I worked in a clinic in an impoverished township called Tafelsig, and I worked with many burn victims, mostly children from boiling water and open fire pits. Burns are extremely common because in the townships they do not have stoves or sanitary water to drink. This made me realize that the amenities we often do not give a second thought to help tremendously in safety, and in the wake of Apartheid people who were banished to the outskirts of the city are still struggling to afford the most basic things and do not have access to even toilets.

This being my first true travel experience shifted my perspective drastically and inspired me to work in human rights and try to conceive of solutions to problems such as these that are pushed off to the next political agenda, but are never solved even when they are causing millions of people suffering. Above all what I learned from my experience in Cape Town is that a person needs very little be happy and live a fulfilling life. I met some of the most fantastic people in the world who have nearly nothing but live every day in a kind and generous way. Living in the United States, this is something I have never experienced, and it shifted my entire perspective on what it means to live my life in a worthwhile way.  

Nelson Mandela

Children of the World

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights

THE UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS

PREAMBLE

Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world,

Whereas disregard and contempt for human rights have resulted in barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of mankind, and the advent of a world in which human beings shall enjoy freedom of speech and belief and freedom from fear and want has been proclaimed as the highest aspiration of the common people,

Whereas it is essential, if man is not to be compelled to have recourse, as a last resort, to rebellion against tyranny and oppression, that human rights should be protected by the rule of law,

Whereas it is essential to promote the development of friendly relations between nations,

Whereas the peoples of the United Nations have in the Charter reaffirmed their faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person and in the equal rights of men and women and have determined to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom,

Whereas Member States have pledged themselves to achieve, in co-operation with the United Nations, the promotion of universal respect for and observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms,

Whereas a common understanding of these rights and freedoms is of the greatest importance for the full realization of this pledge,

Now, Therefore THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY proclaims THIS UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS as a common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations, to the end that every individual and every organ of society, keeping this Declaration constantly in mind, shall strive by teaching and education to promote respect for these rights and freedoms and by progressive measures, national and international, to secure their universal and effective recognition and observance, both among the peoples of Member States themselves and among the peoples of territories under their jurisdiction.

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Article 1.

• All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.

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Article 2.

• Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. Furthermore, no distinction shall be made on the basis of the political, jurisdictional or international status of the country or territory to which a person belongs, whether it be independent, trust, non-self-governing or under any other limitation of sovereignty.

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Article 3.

• Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.

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Article 4.

• No one shall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms.

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Article 5.

• No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

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Article 6.

• Everyone has the right to recognition everywhere as a person before the law.

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Article 7.

• All are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection of the law. All are entitled to equal protection against any discrimination in violation of this Declaration and against any incitement to such discrimination.

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Article 8.

• Everyone has the right to an effective remedy by the competent national tribunals for acts violating the fundamental rights granted him by the constitution or by law.

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Article 9.

• No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile.

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Article 10.

• Everyone is entitled in full equality to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal, in the determination of his rights and obligations and of any criminal charge against him.

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Article 11.

• (1) Everyone charged with a penal offence has the right to be presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law in a public trial at which he has had all the guarantees necessary for his defence.
• (2) No one shall be held guilty of any penal offence on account of any act or omission which did not constitute a penal offence, under national or international law, at the time when it was committed. Nor shall a heavier penalty be imposed than the one that was applicable at the time the penal offence was committed.

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Article 12.

• No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to attacks upon his honour and reputation. Everyone has the right to the protection of the law against such interference or attacks.

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Article 13.

• (1) Everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence within the borders of each state.
• (2) Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country.

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Article 14.

• (1) Everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy in other countries asylum from persecution.
• (2) This right may not be invoked in the case of prosecutions genuinely arising from non-political crimes or from acts contrary to the purposes and principles of the United Nations.

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Article 15.

• (1) Everyone has the right to a nationality.
• (2) No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his nationality nor denied the right to change his nationality.

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Article 16.

• (1) Men and women of full age, without any limitation due to race, nationality or religion, have the right to marry and to found a family. They are entitled to equal rights as to marriage, during marriage and at its dissolution.
• (2) Marriage shall be entered into only with the free and full consent of the intending spouses.
• (3) The family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society and is entitled to protection by society and the State.

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Article 17.

• (1) Everyone has the right to own property alone as well as in association with others.
• (2) No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his property.

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Article 18.

• Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.

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Article 19.

• Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.

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Article 20.

• (1) Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association.
• (2) No one may be compelled to belong to an association.

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Article 21.

• (1) Everyone has the right to take part in the government of his country, directly or through freely chosen representatives.
• (2) Everyone has the right of equal access to public service in his country.
• (3) The will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government; this will shall be expressed in periodic and genuine elections which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret vote or by equivalent free voting procedures.

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Article 22.

• Everyone, as a member of society, has the right to social security and is entitled to realization, through national effort and international co-operation and in accordance with the organization and resources of each State, of the economic, social and cultural rights indispensable for his dignity and the free development of his personality.

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Article 23.

• (1) Everyone has the right to work, to free choice of employment, to just and favourable conditions of work and to protection against unemployment.
• (2) Everyone, without any discrimination, has the right to equal pay for equal work.
• (3) Everyone who works has the right to just and favourable remuneration ensuring for himself and his family an existence worthy of human dignity, and supplemented, if necessary, by other means of social protection.
• (4) Everyone has the right to form and to join trade unions for the protection of his interests.

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Article 24.

• Everyone has the right to rest and leisure, including reasonable limitation of working hours and periodic holidays with pay.

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Article 25.

• (1) Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.
• (2) Motherhood and childhood are entitled to special care and assistance. All children, whether born in or out of wedlock, shall enjoy the same social protection.

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Article 26.

• (1) Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory. Technical and professional education shall be made generally available and higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit.
• (2) Education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. It shall promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups, and shall further the activities of the United Nations for the maintenance of peace.
• (3) Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children.

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Article 27.

• (1) Everyone has the right freely to participate in the cultural life of the community, to enjoy the arts and to share in scientific advancement and its benefits.
• (2) Everyone has the right to the protection of the moral and material interests resulting from any scientific, literary or artistic production of which he is the author.

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Article 28.

• Everyone is entitled to a social and international order in which the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration can be fully realized.

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Article 29.

• (1) Everyone has duties to the community in which alone the free and full development of his personality is possible.
• (2) In the exercise of his rights and freedoms, everyone shall be subject only to such limitations as are determined by law solely for the purpose of securing due recognition and respect for the rights and freedoms of others and of meeting the just requirements of morality, public order and the general welfare in a democratic society.
• (3) These rights and freedoms may in no case be exercised contrary to the purposes and principles of the United Nations.

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Article 30.

• Nothing in this Declaration may be interpreted as implying for any State, group or person any right to engage in any activity or to perform any act aimed at the destruction of any of the rights and freedoms set forth herein.

The World is your Oyster

Human Rights!!!

The Media and the role of Public Figures

Topic #1 The Media, the Role of Public Figures, and the Importance of Influence. 

    

   Following our discussion this week, it is certain that in observing a particular issue, there is a host of secondary or inexplicit problems that many may overlook. Our concern for this week focused on the role of highlighting individuals who have made a considerable contribution to society. In reference to the question, I proposed, the mainstream media and television programming typically feature individuals who are famous for the sake of their family name or become idolized simply because of their social or economic status. 
Conversely, news coverage about humanitarian work or philanthropic efforts has to be sought after. The interest for such work is usually by people who are concerned about a particular cause, or are a part of associated networks in which information is often available. 

         The main question for this week, is whom do you consider an influential leader, and what attributes about this person do you admire? Also regarding Human Rights, who's work do you consider notable, and how has this person inspired you to further the cause of Human Rights improvement?

          

Lucas Lopes started a conversation

 (tuesday, september 22 2015 9:16 pm)

Being a political scientist myself, I believe I have a certain tendency to glorify political leaders; therefore it should not come as a surprise that the person I consider an influential leader is a politician. Nevertheless, I consider former President Franklin Delano Roosevelt one of the most influential leaders in the world, even though he is no longer alive. Perhaps the greatest quality I admire about him was his ability to calm and soothe people during one of the most turbulent and despairing moments in US history (his weekly fireside chats in which he began by addressing the American people as “my friends”). His struggle to pass the minimum wage in 1938 is remarkable and unprecedented in American history. He creates jobs for those unemployed through the Tennessee Valley Association and National Labor Relations Board. His legacy burns brightly up to this day.

With regards to a Human Right's Activist, I highly admire and value the work of Elie Wiesel in protecting and fighting for all minorities around the world. Despite surviving the Holocaust, he saw his father die right before the Buchenwald concentration camp was liberated by the Allies; he lost his mother and his younger sister to the Holocaust as well; and yet, despite all these adversities and misfortunes life through at him, he carried on living and made a name for himself. Elie Wiesel is the true embodiment of “will to live”. His book “Night” in which he recollects about his years in the Buchenwald concentration camp is not only vivid and frightening, but it also makes us question how humanity could have led such atrocities happen in the 20th century. A Nobel Price Peace Winner in 19787 and president of the Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity, Wiesel reminds us (and I quote part of his Nobel prize speech): “when human dignity is in jeopardy, national borders and sensitivities become irrelevant. Whenever men or women are persecuted because of their race, religion or political views, that place must-at that moment-become the center of the universe”.

Pauline Elmore started a conversation

 (tuesday, september 22 2015 11:40 pm)

When you even just mention the word "leader" Martin Luther King is always the first person to usually pop up in my mind. But, there are also instances when others do as well. Learning about Malala and getting to hear a brief snippet of her story on Ellen was necessary because what I believe should be taken away from Malala's story is that publicity should not drive philanthropy, activism or any types of positive gestures just for the sake of having a good name. Yes, many social movements use publicity as a way to get their voices heard, involve the uninvolved and simply make masses aware of issues that negatively impact the functioning of society. Malala, being one who wishes to change gender inequality and promote the right to education, seemed very humble and genuine with her words and those are the leaders that I admire most. Nelson Mandela also represented another important element of what I admired about any human rights activist. His courage is what attracted me most to his contributions to the world. I constantly wonder if I could be locked away in prison for so long and still have the strength to continue my efforts to change the politics of a nation around me. As he became South Africa's first black president, I could only imagine what type of victory this was not only for the people of South Africa, but all over the world. It truly is the humility and courage of leaders as well as other elements that attract my attention to what each individual is doing to impact the world and its well-being.

Dear Student Ambassadors

Hello Student Ambassadors, 

                I hope all is well! I am pleased to say that our meeting yesterday was very productive. It was great to see new members participate in the group discussion, and many of the points that were expressed were quite astute. Those who have recently joined hopefully witnessed the amount of passion and dedication returning members have for the cause of Human Rights. As student ambassadors our goal is to channel that passion, utilizing education as a tool to inform and make others aware of critical issues affecting all of humanity. So as we progress through the semester please remember this important objective, and please acknowledge your role as a student ambassador to be an agent of change! I hope you all are eager to contribute in terms of insight, experience, and activism, to make this semester memorable! 

Best Wishes, 

Youssouf Bellamy, M.A.

Welcome Student Ambassadors!!

Greetings Student Ambassadors for Human Rights,

                I am Youssouf Bellamy; I hold a Baccalaureate and Master’s in Political Science with an emphasis in International Relations and Comparative Politics. I am currently a doctoral student in the Department of Political Science at the University of Connecticut. The focus of my research is associated with my overall concern for the welfare of developing nations. The root and inspirational source for exploring this particular area stem from the efforts of my grandfather, who in addition to holding several UN positions, played a pivotal role in the decolonization efforts of French West, and Equatorial African colonies. As the primary objective of all colonies was to attain eventual self-governance, the impetus that drove African leaders and advocates of the revolution, was the aspiration of human liberation.
                 Although decades have passed, since the wave of independence movements throughout much of the African continent, a concern for the people, and the protection of their civil rights and liberties remains a crucial component of the development and sustenance of democratic institutions.  I believe firmly in the objectives of UNESCO, and it is through the furtherance of its ambitions to perpetuate human rights awareness by utilizing education as its primary vessel, that the realization of equality, freedom, and justice for all can become actualized. AsStudent Ambassadors for Human Rights, it will be my goal to work with you in upholding these ideals as we spread awareness, and advance, through the exchange of ideas.

Best,

Youssouf Gabriel Bellamy, M.A.

GHF/CCF Fellow