Celebrating the International Human Rights Day, the South India Cell for Human Rights Education and Monitoring (SICHREM), St Joseph's College (SJC) and a few other city-based colleges and Long Island University, organised a week long event to create an awareness amongst people about their rights as human beings. The event ended with a ‘walk for rights’ rally and a ‘candle light vigil’ on Saturday. The rally began at SJC where around 200 students, along with members of Falun Dafa, an Association that strives to bring about harmony through meditataion and gentle movements, walked with banners and posters all the way to Town Hall.
“This is a students’ initiative and that is the specialty of this movement. We are determined to bring about a change in society and we will stand against any force to ensure that change takes place,” said Azhar Khan, the Vice President of Centre for Social Concern (CSC), SJC. “What we are igniting today will be a big fire tomorrow and as a member of civil society it is my responsibility to give back to society what I have taken from it,” he added.
On reaching Town Hall, the students of SJC also put forth a street play on female infanticide signifying that our very right as human beings is taken away even before we are born. The play was followed by a candle light vigil and an oath taking ceremony.
Incidentally, the college in collaboration with SICHREM offers a diploma course in human rights studies at St Joseph’s Evening College. “Many documentaries are screened regarding untouchability, caste system etc. Through this course we try to create an atmosphere to make people aware of their rights as citizens,” said Mr Khan.
Uma R, President of the National Service Scheme (NSS) said, “We want to be history makers so that the generations to come should not face any form of indiscrimination.”
- Supriya I M S Com
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