How many letters does it take to free a political prisoner or end the use of torture? It could seem improbable that someone in Vienna or Toronto can really play a part in ending human rights abuses perpetrated by a government half a world away. One person’s words might be insufficient to change the course of history, but together they can change the world, at least for a few people.
Making a difference one person at a time was the idea behind Amnesty International’s Write for Rights event on December 10th, 2011. Set to coincide with International Human Rights Day, the writing event brought people of all ages and backgrounds together to make their voices heard for human rights. The international celebration of human rights became concrete as ordinary children and adults took action for the world's oppressed. In the future, it might even inspire people to act all year long.
The History of International Human Rights Day
As the United Nations’ web page on Human Rights Day states, the signing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on December 10th, 1948, was the inspiration for Human Rights Day. It has been celebrated ever since as a day to pay tribute to defenders of human rights and to encourage more people to get involved in the struggle for justice and a better world. For organizations like Amnesty International, Human Rights Day is an ideal time to highlight the needs of people whose rights have been violated, from political prisoners incarcerated in many countries around the world to victims of torture or discrimination.
Letter-Writing and Human Rights
The Write for Rights events around Canada on December 10th were part of a celebration of Amnesty International’s fiftieth anniversary, as the Amnesty International Write for Rights website states. To celebrate the event, supporters of human rights planned to write letters and hold special events around the world. In addition to letter-writing events around the country, Amnesty supporters planned to light up the falls in Niagara Falls, Ontario. In Ottawa, the Canadian Museum of Nature was illuminated, while Toronto planned to host a letter-writing event at the Toronto Reference Library.
The Write for Rights event officially finished at the end of the day on December 10th, but the work of lobbying for justice is still continuing. According to the Amnesty International Write-a-thon website, people from more than eighty countries participated in the global letter-writing marathon, writing more than 493,000 letters over the weekend. Some people participated for the first time, while others were regular participants in events such as these. Whether they wrote from the privacy of their own homes or as part of group events in schools or community centers, people helped to increase the visibility of the world’s downtrodden and persecuted people.
Holding a worldwide writing event in the days surrounding International Human Rights Day was a fitting way to celebrate the ideal of justice for all people. If the campaign inspires people to continue working to protect the vulnerable, it will have fulfilled its purpose.
Sources:
Amnesty International Canada. "Write for Rights."
Amnesty International. "Shine a Light on Human Rights."
United Nations.org. "Human Rights Day."
Susan Huebert - My name is Susan Huebert, and I'm a writer and editor from Winnipeg, Manitoba. I've always enjoyed words, and I graduated with a Bachelor ...
