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December 10, 2008, marked the 60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), the founding document of the modern human rights system. The UDHR is a set of basic rights and protections that are to be enjoyed by all persons throughout the world, regardless of race, color, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. The UDHR recognizes that "the inherent dignity and... the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world."
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NOTE: The ACLU and its affiliates organized in the following events in December 2008 in honor of the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
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FEATURED EVENT: BRINGING HUMAN RIGHTS HOME
December 10, 2008, 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
ACLU at the United Nations
Join the Human Rights Program of the ACLU for a panel discussion for the United States to recommit to the human rights and fundamental freedoms called for by the Universal Declaration and the U.S. Constitution. Witness will present a screening of film shorts documenting domestic human rights abuses and victories. The event will take place on Wednesday, December 10th from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. at the Church Center for the United Nations. Refreshments will be served at 5:30 p.m.
Featuring: Craig Mokhiber, Deputy Director of the New York Office for the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights; Jamil Dakwar, Director, Human Rights Program, American Civil Liberties Union; Damon T. Hewitt, Assistant Counsel NAACP Legal Defense & Education Fund; Jumanamsa, Policy Director, Rights Working Group; Andrea Ritchie, Director, Sex Workers Project at the Urban Justice Center; Mark R. Shulman, Chair of Committee on International Human Rights of the Association of the Bar of New York; and Cynthia Soohoo, Director, U.S. Legal Program, Center for Reproductive Rights.
Events are listed in alphabetical order by state.
| December 8: Orlando, Florida — Human Dignity Starts at Home
Chandra Bhatnagar of the ACLU Human Rights Program will be a keynote speaker on December 8th at "Human Dignity Starts at Home: The Evolution of the Bill of Rights into the Declaration of Human Rights" in a reception for lawyers and law students, at the Citrus Club in Orlando, Florida. The event is co-sponsored by the Puerto Rico Bar Association and the American Constitution Society.
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| December 10: Miami, Florida — Miami Celebrates the UDHR at 60
The Racial Justice Project of the ACLU Florida affiliate in Miami will work with FANM, ACORN, PowerU, Miami-Dade Chapter of the NAACP, AMANA, American Muslims for Emergency and Relief, Inc, FIAC, Farmworker Association of Florida, Greater Miami Chapter of the ACLU, and Take Back the Land to hold a press conference on December 10 at which the organizations will symbolically present human rights demands, in the form of a proclamation, to the county mayor and county commissioners. The event will take place at the Stephen P. Clark Government Center in downtown Miami in the morning of December 10. |
December 10: St. Petersburg, Florida — Spoken Word Celebration of the UDHR
Please join the American Civil Liberties Union and Florida and The Studio @ 620 in a free Spoken Word Celebration of the 60th Anniversary of the UDHR on December 10 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Copies of the UDHR will be given away. In early December, the cities of St. Petersburg, Tampa and Sarasota have issued proclamations honoring human rights. This event builds on that recognition and celebration of the dignity of us all. The event will begin at 7:00 p.m. at the Globe Coffee Lounge, 532 1st Ave., N. St. Petersburg, Florida. See the flyer >> | Learn more >> |
October 10 – December 10: Atlanta, Georgia — Human Rights Day Celebration.
The Georgia ACLU affiliate and the "Human Rights Atlanta" coalition will be holding a closing event on December 10 to culminate their two-month long human rights campaign. The event will feature Civil Rights Legend, Reverend C. T. Vivian as well as Kelly Love Jones, Tamara Madison, Tom Ferguson, T*Yana Kemyl, Witt Wisebram, The Sedition Orchestra, Stoni Taylor, Richard Omar and Doc Brown, Anne Olson, Alice Lovelace and Azadeh Shahshahani from the ACLU of Georgia. The event takes place on December 10th at 6p.m. at the Auburn Avenue Research Library at 101 Auburn Avenue NE, Atlanta, Georgia. See the flyer >> | Learn more >> |
December 6: Chicago, Illinois — Chicago celebrates the UDHR at 60
Ed Yohnka, Director of Communications for the ACLU of Illinois will be speaking during the annual commemoration of the UDHR by the College of Complexes. The event will take place at 8 p.m. at Lincoln Restaurant, 4008 North Lincoln Avenue, Chicago, Illinois. Learn more >> |
December 6: Iowa — Commemorating the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Jamil Dakwar of the Human Rights Program for the ACLU will be speaking on December 6 during a luncheon and again at 7 p.m. during a day long ceremony commemorating the UDHR. The event will take place at the Old Capitol Senate Chamber in Iowa City, Iowa. The event is sponsored by The University of Iowa Center for Human Rights, International Programs, american Civil Liberties Union of Iowa, Iowa United Nations Association, and Iowa City Foreign Relations Council. See the flyer >> | Learn more >> |
| December 10: Boston, Massachusetts — Release of "Detention and Deportation in the Age of ICE: Immigrants and Human Rights in Massachusetts"
The Massachusetts ACLU affiliate will be releasing a report on immigration detention in Massachusetts. "Detention and Deportation in the Age of ICE" tracks the experience of 40 detained persons through the system of detention set up by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The report is the first of its kind to thoroughly document jail conditions and due process issues for immigrants detained in Massachusetts. A series of personal stories illustrates that in its zeal to deport all deportable persons, ICE tramples on fundamental rights. In-depth analysis of hundreds of pages of government documents reveals the massive and growing federal presence in Massachusetts. |
December 10: Cambridge, Massachusetts — 60 Years of Human Rights: The Idea and the Reality
Carol Rose of the ACLU of Massachusetts will be reading one article of the UDHR at a unique theatrical reading which will open a celebratory event on December 10th. Harvard University Committee on Human Rights, in collaboration with PHR and the American Repertory Theatre, observes the 60th Anniversary of the UDHR with a dramatic reading of the Declaration on Wednesday, December 10, from 6:00-8:30 p.m., at the John F. Kennedy, Jr. Forum at 79 JFK Street, Harvard Square, Cambridge. Learn more >> |
| December 13: Northampton, Massachusetts — Universal Human Rights Day: Reading of the UDHR
The ACLU of Massachusetts will be cosponsoring an event featuring a reading of the 30 articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This will take place in front of First Churches, 129 Main St., Northampton.
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December 2: Las Cruces, New Mexico — Screening of "Sentenced Home"
The New Mexico ACLU affiliate will be holding a film screening of a documentary "Sentenced Home" and panel discussion regarding immigration detention and removal policy in the U.S. as it relates to human rights in conjunction with the Center for Latin american & Border Studies at New Mexico State University on December 2 at 6 p.m. See the flyer >> |
| December 5 – 6: Hyde Park, New York — Bringing Human Rights Home.
Jennifer Turner, with the ACLU Human Rights Program, will be speaking at the Bringing Human Rights Home conference. The conference will begin at 9 a.m. at the Franklin D. Roosevelt Library and Home of FDR, and cover such topics as "ratifying international human rights treaties," "Upholding civil and political rights abroad and at home" and "Upholding economic and social rights at home." |
December 9: New York, NY — OSI Forum: Obama's Dilemma - Guantánamo and Its Aftermath
Jamil Dakwar of the Human Rights Program at the ACLU will participate in a panel discussion on December 9th at the New York office of the Open Society Institute. Panelists at this OSI event will discuss policy questions arising from the incoming administration's plans to close the U.S. detention facility at Guantánamo Bay. They will also examine the lasting effects suffered by former prisoners, the likelihood that human rights abuses committed at Guantánamo will be investigated and prosecuted, and the challenges the administration will face as it decides how to deal with the remaining detainees. Learn more >> |
| December 10: New York, NY — Showing of "The Visitor" at Riverside Church
Put on by the Riverside Church Sojourners, this event on December 10 includes a viewing of the film "The Visitor," art exhibits, a silent auction, and a discussion panel and reception after the screening.
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| December 10: New York, New York — At Breakfast with Human Rights
The ACLU will be joining the New York City Human Rights Initiative in amrning celebration for the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The event will start at 9 .a.m at the Puck Building, 295 Lafayette Street, 2nd floor.
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| December 8: Rochester, New York — The School-to-Prison Pipeline
The NYCLU at Rochester will be holding an event on December 8. Beginning at 5 p.m. at Downtown Presbyterian Church, 121 North Fitzhugh Street, there will be an event discussing the School to Prison pipeline and what factors push young people out of school and into the criminal justice system and at what cost. |
December 8: Raleigh, North Carolina — Affiliate Celebrates the UDHR at 60
An event will be held at the House Chamber of the State Capitol. This event will feature the public reading of the universal declaration of Human Rights by the 8th grade students from one of Raleigh's Middle Schools. This will be followed by talks on "The association of International Women for Human Rights." Learn more >> |
December 9: Raleigh, North Carolina — Affiliate celebrates the UDHR at 60
The North Carolina ACLU affiliate will be organizing a dinner event where the recipient of a Human Rights Award is recognized. It will be held at the North Carolina State University Club in Raleigh. The honored guest this year is Margaret Misch of Carrboro. There will be a social hour and dinner and presentation of the award followed by a speech on "Whither Go Human Rights in 2009." Learn More >> |
December 15: Raleigh, North Carolina — Affiliate celebrates the UDHR at 60
A second event will be held December 15 in the Senate Chamber of the State Capitol. It is a join anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Bill of Rights. There will be speeches about both the documents and a singing of happy birthday to the Bill Of Rights. Learn more >> |
December 9: Cincinnati, Ohio — Poems from Guantánamo: The Detainees Speak
In Cincinnati, excerpts will be read from the book Poems from Guantanamo: The Detainees Speak. Participants will be invited to call on President-elect Obama to ban torture, close Guantanamo and end extraordinary rendition on his first day in office. This event is co-sponsored by the ACLU of Ohio and the First Unitarian Church Social Justice Committee. The event will take place at the First Unitarian Church at 536 Linton St. in Cincinnati at 7 p.m. Learn more >> |
December 10: Eugene, Oregon — Human Rights Start at Home
The Oregon ACLU affiliate is organizing an event on December 10 with 13 other organizations. The event will begin at 5:30 p.m. with a social and the program will begin at 6 p.m. and continue through till 8:30 p.m.. The event will be located at Cesar Chavez Elementary, 1510 W. 14th Avenue in Eugene, Oregon. See the flyer >> |
December 10: Puerto Rico — December 10: Puerto Rico — Relevance of the Declaration of Human Rights in Judicial Decisions.
The Puerto Rico ACLU affiliate has put together a panel discussion on December 10 at the University of Puerto Rico School of Law, Amphitheatre L-2 at 4 p.m. Chandra Bhatnagar will present alongside a judge's panel examining the relevance of international human rights law in domestic constitutional jurisprudence. See the flyer >> |
December 10: Burlington, Vermont — ACLU of Vermont celebrates the UDHR at 60
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights will be celebrated with a lecture/discussion by Burlington, Vt., lawyer Robert Rachlin at 5:30 p.m. Dec. 10 at the Firehouse Center for the Visual Arts in Burlington, Vt. Rachlin will trace the history of human rights law, and touch on his own activities as a volunteer lawyer for detainees at the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base. The event is free and open to the public, and is co-sponsored by the Peace & Justice Center, Burlington College, the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, the American Civil Liberties Union, and TowardFreedom.com. The Firehouse Center is located at 135 Church St. in Burlington. Learn More >> |
| December 10: Madison, Wisconsin:
The Wisconsin ACLU affiliate will be co-sponsoring an event with Wisconsin Governor's Commission on the United Nations and amnesty International. The event will combine art/music and have three short presentations on the history, future and the U.S. role regarding the UDHR and related covenants. The unifying themes will be enforcement and the role of civil society including NGOs. |
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 While the U.S. government was a leading voice in the creation of the UDHR, its policy and practice over the past 60 years has shown a failure to live up to these ideals. To celebrate the 60th Anniversary of the UDHR, the ACLU will be engaging in an advocacy campaign to raise awareness of U.S. obligations and shortcomings under the UDHR and human rights law. A recommitment by the U.S. to the principles and ideals of the UDHR is essential not only for improving U.S. standing in the world, but, more importantly, for its promise to ensure equality and justice for all at home.
Questions? Email: udhr60@aclu.org |
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