Human Rights Day-Exhibition shows how to protect human rights |11 December 2008

Contributed by different human rights-related organisations locally and overseas, the exhibits include posters, banners and other material giving basic information on human rights and how to preserve them. 

The display was opened by Community Development, Youth, Sports and Culture Minister Vincent Meriton, in the presence of Foreign Minister Patrick Pillay, Health and Social Development Minister Marie-Pierre Lloyd, diplomats and the head of a delegation from the European Commission (EC), First Counsellor Franco Tranquilli.
 
It will stay open until tomorrow and is the main activity organised to mark Human Rights Day, commemorated worldwide yesterday.

The opening ceremony also saw a series of donations towards human rights work in Seychelles, made by the EC and local organisations.

Mr Tranquilli gave a batch of books on human rights to local campaigners and equipment including computers, laptops, LCD projectors and printers to the National Library. The books are worth £2,438 and the equipment $8,650.

On behalf of the Centre for Rights and Development, Mathew Servina made a donation of posters, banners and other material to the Humanitarian Affairs Committee, which has organised the exhibition and other activities to mark Human Rights Day and the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UNDHR).

In his opening address, Mr Meriton noted that within the context of the national theme – Our Constitution: the Voice of Our Nation – Seychelles is celebrating 15 years of its own charter of fundamental human rights and freedoms this year.

“The inclusion of these rights and freedoms has contributed towards the recognition of our Constitution as being one of the most modern in the world,” he said.

He said the exercise of these rights is evident in all walks of life, and remarkable progress has been achieved in all sectors of development.
 
“These celebrations allow us, within the context of present-day realities, to reassess our situation vis-à-vis the implementation of human rights in our country,” he added.

However, Mr Meriton noted that “full realisation of human rights cannot be achieved solely through the enactment of laws and the establishment of mechanisms for their implementation”.

“It is important to inform and educate so as to create awareness and impart knowledge of human rights, to foster the development of values and attitudes which uphold human rights and to encourage action aimed at defending them from violation,” he said.

“While the responsibility for implementation of human rights standards rests primarily with the state, we must also note that individuals, families, NGOs, businesses and the media equally have a role to play in the protection and promotion of human rights in Seychelles.”

After viewing the main exhibition, guests also visited children taking part in a workshop to illustrate articles of the UNDHR through paintings.

The workshop has been going on for three days at the children’s section of the National Library and ends today. A book is to be published early next year using the children’s work from these sessions.