First YHRI-Liberia Human Rights Leadership Forum and Competition

July 5, 2007

Tim Bowles, YHRI’s International Development Director, moved on from Ghana to Liberia this week, joining West African program director Jay Yarsiah, YHRI-Liberia country director Teewon Dolopei, and other dedicated volunteers to produce the first national YHRI-Liberia Human Rights Leadership Forum on 6 July 2007. The event was held in the auditorium of the Ministry of Gender and Development. Leading government officials attending the forum included the Liberian Attorney General Frances Johnson-Morris, Minister of Labor Kofi Samuel Woods, and Vice President Joseph Boakai’s Chief of Staff, Mr. Sam Stevaquoh. As the keynote speaker, Mr. Woods praised YHRI-Liberia’s initiative, calling for nationwide expansion of the program and for the competition to become an annual event. A renowned advocate for human rights during Liberia’s 14 years of civil conflict, Mr. Woods observed it was a new day for the country, telling the youth attending that the older generation was counting on them to complete the work of creating a future based on individual dignity and mutual respect.The five high school competition following the dignitaries’ comments was spirited, sprinkled with songs and dramas from the club members. Each team spent the past two-plus months on research and analysis of a selected NGO: UNICEF, UNESCO, Catholic Peace and Justice and Peace Commission (JPC), Foundation for International Dignity (FIND) and National Human Rights Center of Liberia (NHRCL). Cathedral High School’s team took the top prize of a computer system for their library with runners-up awarded library book shelves. All participants were winners, receiving commemorative T-shirts and personalized certificates for their efforts.

Tim Bowles, Kofi Samuel Woods, Jay Yarsiah Kofi Samuel Woods

Back to News & Press Index