December 19, 2002

Dear Friends,

With best wishes for you in this holiday season, I also send my heartfelt thanks for your help in making 2002 a stellar year for Youth for Human Rights International. The accomplishments of our group over the past twelve months have significantly advanced our purpose: to teach youth around the globe about Human Rights, thus helping them to become valuable advocates for the promotion of tolerance and peace.

As a school principal and children's advocate, I launched Youth for Human Rights International as an educational program for children so they come to understand at an early age the importance of human rights and religious tolerance. I realized that more needed to be done to teach human rights to young people. The recognition of our mutual goal in this regard and your support has resulted in many wonderful developments and opportunities. On the occasion of this traditionally joyful season I want to update you on some of our good news.

Following the success of our 2001 Essay Contest, the 2002 Art Contest was held at the beginning of the year in support of the United Nations Decade for Human Rights Education. The contest, held in coordination with Friends of the United Nations, received wonderful entries from children aged 8-18.

The release of our new booklet for youth, “What are Human Rights?”, was announced in March in Los Angeles at the Church of Scientology Celebrity Centre International Pavilion. This booklet introduces human rights to youth and illustrates the thirty articles of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Lynsey Bartilson, teenage star of TV show “Grounded for Life,” announced her promise for human rights: to become a Spokesperson for Youth for Human Rights International.

The release in July of “What are Human Rights?” in Europe launched a worldwide campaign for human rights education, with Russian, Finnish, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, Dutch, and French editions. Our booklets were distributed in nine European countries, as part of Youth for Human Rights International’s role in a unique adventure which began in July in St. Petersburg, Russia: the 2002 European Multathlon for Human Rights. “Multathlon” is a coined term, combining “Multa” (“many”) and “-athlon” (“contest”). Organized by the Church of Scientology International and the International Foundation for Human Rights and Tolerance, the Multathlon participants traveled 4,000 kilometers (about 2,500 miles) through Russia, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Germany, Holland and France, promoting the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights and assisting us in the distribution of thousands of copies of the new booklet “What are Human Rights?” for youth.

In August, Youth for Human Rights International held youth summits in Brussels and in Copenhagen, again as part of the 2002 European Multathlon. Another summit for youth entitled “Creating Peace with Human Rights” was held in September at the Los Angeles Mayor's office in honor of Peace One Day 2002.

On United Nations Day, October 24th, I participated in an event at the United Nations called “VIVAT PAX: Celebration of Love and Life” devised and presented by Professor Ian Hall, Ambassador-at-Large, World Association of Non-Governmental Organizations and President of the Bloomsbury International Society for the Advance of Racial Harmony through the Arts. I had the privilege of addressing the United Nations Day 2002 celebrations at the United Nations in New York, regarding the impact of Youth for Human Rights International's 2002 human rights educational campaign. Spokesperson Claire Kevitt gave a message for peace at the United Nations Day celebration at the Los Angeles Friendship Center.

In November I announced that the “What are Human Rights?” booklet will for the first time be distributed to young people in West Africa. This African campaign has been made possible by the Tazzla Institute for Cultural Diversity, through translation and distribution of the booklet in Arabic, Tamazight (Berber), and Tamasheq (Tuareg). The booklet was presented at a multicultural African legacy celebration entitled “Creating Peace Through the Arts” at the United Nations in New York.

In honor of Make a Difference Day 2002 initiated by President Bush, children from Mary's Schoolhouse participated in a Canned Food Drive and donated the proceeds to P.A.T.H. (People Assisting the Homeless). In celebration of Thanksgiving Day, youth in Los Angeles and New York participated in writing to the President and other national leaders, thanking them for their leadership and asking them what they are doing to promote Human Rights.

Our pupils were key participants in the 250-mile 2002 Los Angeles Multathlon for Human Rights this month. The Multathlete team carried a baton containing messages of goodwill from Youth for Human Rights children around the world. During the Multathlon, Youth for Human Rights International sponsored a Youth Summit in Pasadena, California, at the New Horizons Islam School. Spokesperson Claire Kevitt addressed a group of about 60 youth at the Islamic Center of Southern California. For distribution during the Multathlon, an informational flyer about the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was translated into Spanish, Hebrew, Korean, and Arabic. Additionally, the booklet “What are Human Rights?” was produced in Farsi.

This Multathlon has inspired children and adults to contribute internationally. Professor Ian Hall composed a song, “We are All Born Free and Equal” that he performed on December 14th at the Multathlon finale. The song included six human rights points from the Youth for Human Rights booklet “What are Human Rights?” Some of the human rights supporters responsible for the translations of “What are Human Rights?” and our informational flyer are Dr. Pouran Ameli (Farsi), Dr. Ali Abd Alhussein Alhaidary (Arabic), Alicia Quaini in collaboration with Claudia Banderas (Spanish), Amnon Ben-Alon (Hebrew), Nam Kyun Ku (Korean), and Dr. Amayas Tufiq Mostefaoui (Tamazight (Tachelhit, version of Marocaine)).

Thank you again for your continuing support. I look forward to hearing your news, and any questions or requests you may have for me.

With best wishes,

Mary Shuttleworth
Director