How did Youth for Human Rights International get started?

Youth for Human Rights International was formed in 2001 as a project of the International Foundation for Human Rights and Tolerance.

Working with the International Foundation for Human Rights and Tolerance, Mary Shuttleworth, a school principal and long-time educator, founded Youth for Human Rights International and is now its Director. This vital project is an educational program for children so they truly understand the importance of human rights.

In support of the United Nations Decade for Human Rights Education 1995 - 2004, Youth for Human Rights International's first project was to launch a European-wide Essay Writing Contest for youth between the ages of 8 - 18 in coordination with Friends of the United Nations. Three young people from Hungary, Czech Republic and Austria won a trip to Geneva, home of the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights, to receive their awards on October 11, 2001.

Here are some of the results of the 2001 Essay Contest!

The project made a significant contribution to educating future generations about the rights contained in the United Nation's Universal Declaration of Human Rights. These are quotes from some of the essays written by children for the first Youth for Human Rights International essay contest:

“Before I had read the Declaration, my opinion on human rights was very abstracted but thanks to this school work and my Internet connection I can say that human rights will become a very important part of my future interests.”
- Petr Bolina (age: 17) Czech Republic

“Discrimination of any sort is not born in the children's hearts. I appeal to the good sense of the adults to let human rights prevail.”
- Daniel Rupp (age:15) Austria

“If all people would really go for human rights, we would win against the bad and I'm sure, we would have peace not war.”
- Manuel Lussi - Switzerland

“If I didn't have human rights then I wouldn't be able to decide my own future and career, and therefore probably won't be happy creating, doing art such as singing, acting, dancing and all the other things I love!”
- Sinead Cook (age: 14) England

“For what does the idea of human rights mean? What do they stand for? …In one word, they mean tolerance.”
“Therefore I feel free to draw the conclusion that The Declaration of Human Rights stands for humanity's only chance for peace. For there's no peace without acceptance of rightfulness of the other side's existence 'as it is,' although this might be different than what you might consider as the 'right way of living.'”
- Boris Karpa (age: 12) Israel