10th Annual World Educational Tour to Visit Eight Countries

Hollywood, CA
27 January 2013

Youth for Human Rights International volunteers show the colors of many nations at the launch of the 10th Annual Youth for Human Rights World Educational Tour Mr. Irving Sarnoff, Founder of Friends of the United Nations, and Dr. Mary Shuttleworth, President of Youth for Human Rights International, at the launch of the Youth for Human Rights International World Educational Tour Shina Takemoto of Japan performs at the sendoff event of the 10th Annual Youth for Human Rights International World Educational Tour

More than 200 people gathered in Hollywood, California on January 27 to launch the 10th Annual Youth for Human Rights International World Educational Tour.

Dr. Mary Shuttleworth, President of Youth for Human Rights International, has organized the tours for a decade to meet with leaders in countries around the world who have the power and vision to accomplish the purpose of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The Declaration proclaims that all peoples and nations should "strive by teaching and education to promote respect for these rights and freedoms and by progressive measures, national and international, to secure their universal and effective recognition and observance..."

"Nothing will ever replace meeting people face-to-face in their own countries. You see firsthand both the stark realities and the inspiring accomplishments," says Dr. Shuttleworth. She and Youth for Human Rights volunteer videographer Kevin Garrison will visit seven countries to promote human rights education: Mexico, Jamaica, Switzerland, Russia, India, Taiwan and South Africa.

Bringing human rights education to generations of future leaders has never been more relevant than it is today: according to Amnesty International, major human rights violations are committed in 160 countries including an estimated 1.5 million primary school-aged children trafficked into slavery each year.

Speakers at the sendoff event for the Youth for Human Rights International World Educational Tour included Irving Sarnoff, Founder of Friends of the United Nations and Kevin Kaul, Founder of Global Peace Through Global Trade.

Those attending enjoyed a montage of artistic performances of a broad range of genres and cultures including a traditional Japanese dance by Shina Takemoto, Kenji Yamaguchi and Risa Tadokoro; a Greek song by Sofia Keramari; a Spanish folkloric performance by Elsie Campos; an Argentinean tango sung by Nando Ventura; and performances by award-winning jazz and blues artist Izzy Chait, actor and singer Johnny Ferretti, and the Scientology Choir. The event was hosted at the Church of Scientology Celebrity Centre International.

The purpose of the Youth for Human Rights International World Educational Tours is to bring human rights education to all parts of the world and to achieve the purpose of Youth for Human Rights: "To teach youth around the world their human rights, specifically the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, thus helping them to become advocates for tolerance and peace."