LOS ANGELES (PRWEB) December 10, 2018
On the 70th Anniversary of the historic signing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), over 100 local high school students will convene today at Los Angeles City Hall to collaborate on actionable solutions to human rights challenges facing their hometown and the world at the United Nations Association of the United States of America’s (UNA-USA) inaugural Youth Solutions Summit. This program provides a response to a recent polling from UNA-USA’s sister organization, the Better World Campaign, that found advancing human rights is a top priority for Gen Z.
Students will be joined by a panel of high-level public leaders and activists, including Los Angeles Deputy Mayor of International Affairs Ambassador Nina Hachigian; retired professional basketball player and LGBTI advocate Jason Collins; United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights Kate Gilmore; Civil rights leader & Co-founder of the National Farmworkers Association Dolores Huerta; Project GRAD Los Angeles CEO Ford Roosevelt; and Snap Foundation Executive Director Shawn Kravich. Students will be able to both share their own solutions to human rights challenges in their communities and to explore global challenges, including climate change, through discussions facilitated by students from USC’s Institute on Inequalities in Global Health.
December 10, 2018 marks 70 years since the world came together to adopt the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, a monumental document drafted under the direction of former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt that sought to ensure equality, dignity, and basic freedoms for all people. To acknowledge this important milestone, a diverse group of student ambassadors selected from a competitive pool of applicants will present original solutions to pressing local issues related to LGBTI rights, poverty and homelessness, immigration, gender equality, and the role of technology for social good. Students will receive real-time feedback and commentary from a group of high-level panelists. Following their presentations, all participants will work together to brainstorm and find avenues of collaboration on their solutions.
“American youth are answering a global call to action by showing up today,” said UNA-USA Executive Director Chris Whatley. “They don’t want to wait on the sidelines for adults to solve these issues. They’re here to claim a seat at the table and help impart real change at the local and global level.”
The Youth Solutions Summit marks a full year of activism for UNA-USA and its 20,000 members across the country. Over this time, UNA-USA advocates have supported The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights’ (OHCHR) #StandUp4HumanRights campaign on social media and in-person, holding events nationwide and delivering a copy of the UDHR to all 535 Members of Congress on Capitol Hill. Prior to the event, Mayor Garcetti will sign a human rights pledge at a public Human Rights Day celebration at the University of Southern California. Launched in 2017, OHCHR created the pledge as a way to mobilize citizens, governments, and activists across the world to pledge a renewed commitment to upholding the founding principles of the UDHR.
Learn more about the Youth Solutions Summit: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/universal-declaration-of-human-rights-youth-solutions-summit-tickets-51425766853. -
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About the United Nations Association of the USA:
The United Nations Association of the United States of America (UNA-USA) is a 50-state grassroots organization dedicated to informing, inspiring, and mobilizing the American people to support the ideals and vital work of the United Nations. For 70 years, UNA-USA has worked to accomplish its mission through its national network of Chapters, youth engagement, advocacy efforts, education programs, and public events. UNA-USA is a program of the United Nations Foundation.
About The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR):
The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (UN Human Rights) is the leading UN entity on human rights. The General Assembly entrusted both the High Commissioner and her Office with a unique mandate to promote and protect all human rights for all people. The United Nations human rights programme aims to ensure that the protection and enjoyment of human rights is a reality in the lives of all people. UN Human Rights also plays a crucial role in safeguarding the integrity of the three interconnected pillars of the United Nations – peace and security, human rights and development.
About the Office of Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti:
Eric Garcetti is a fourth-generation Angeleno and the 42nd Mayor of Los Angeles. Born and raised in the San Fernando Valley — the son of public servants and the grandson and great-grandson of immigrants from Mexico and Eastern Europe — Mayor Garcetti’s life has been shaped by a deep commitment to the core values of justice, dignity, and
equality for all people. In 2017, he created the Mayor’s Office of International Affairs to expand Los Angeles’ global leadership and broaden the city’s engagement on everything from tourism and trade to actions to combat climate change and preparations for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
About the USC Institute on Inequalities in Global Health
At the University of Southern California Institute on Inequalities in Global Health, leaders work across disciplines to address the disparities, inequalities and broad determinants of health that impact our world. University-wide and driven by excellence in research, education and action, the institute aims to address those issues that are too complex to have a natural home with any single researcher, department or school.