Two ways to support human rights in York
This week York sees two special events centred on issues of universal human rights. On Wednesday, April 17 at 6.30pm there is a rare screening of Call Me Kuchu in the Fountains Lecture Theatre, University of York St John.
The film documents the story of David Kato, Uganda’s first openly gay man. Kato undertook a fellowship with the University of York Centre for Applied Human Rights prior to his return to Uganda where he worked to defeat homophobic legislation and the persecution faced by many in their daily lives.
The screening is followed by an open day for social justice and human rights on Saturday, April 20, from 10am to 4pm. Parliament Street will become host to an array of music, drama and quizzes alongside groups representing issues of equality, development, human rights and FairTrade.
The events are set-up by the York Human Rights City Project. This is a network that aspires to promote a community based on social justice and human rights.
Inspired by the Human Rights City Movement it hopes to see York as a Human Rights City, where institutions, organisations, businesses and individuals are able to debate and learn about issues of human rights and apply these principles to their daily lives.
The project aims to achieve these goals through events and protection. It intends for the Human Rights Festival to become an annual event with additional activities being held throughout the year. Additionally, the project wants to support the existing network of human rights activities in York. This includes the protective fellowship scheme for human rights defenders at risk which is run by the university’s human rights centre.
In difficult times this is a unique opportunity to find out how much great work is going on in the York community to support other, both locally and globally, come along and get involved.
- To find out more, visit the project’s website