| Residential Workshop on “Application of Human Rights for Social Betterment” Uppuveli, 4 – 6 June 2010 | | Print | |
A three day workshop was held at the Human Resource Development Centre of the Ministry of Education in Trincomalee. The target group was A/L students chosen from 17 1AB schools from Kantale, Muttur, Kinniya and Trincomalee zonal education areas, selected based on their performance at the Human Rights quiz held in 2009. 34 students participated from 13 schools comprising of 12 Sinhalese, 3 Tamils and 19 Muslim students. The main objective of this workshop was to strengthen the Human Rights knowledge among A/L students and to establish a Human Rights Club called “Our Rights Club” in Trincomalee district to apply knowledge for social betterment through advocacy and activism. The three days involved an Inaugural session on day one to explain the objectives, bi-lingual lectures with case studies by resource persons for knowledge building on day two and finally preparing action plans on day three for “Our Rights Club”. The students organized a cultural event on day two for exposure to ethnic and cultural diversity. By the end of the programme, increased knowledge, active interaction, improved leadership and public speaking skills was significant. Many students thought the knowledge and skills gained was useful to promote it at school level. They understood the importance of a network and suggested to set up an island wide network of ‘our rights clubs’. The students were more friendly and helpful during the last day despite their reluctance to mingle with each other at the beginning. Their enthusiasm for future advocacy and activism was portrayed in their presented action plans through writing articles to the school wall paper, distributing handbills, having dramas and quiz programmes in their schools. The members of the newly set up ‘our rights club’ will give a synopsis of their progress and bring their outputs at the follow up meeting to be held in September 2010. Following the success of the workshop, NPC thinks “Our Rights Club” will harmonize the multi ethnic school children in the Trincomalee district to work as young HR advocates and activists for social betterment which is the need of the day in the present context of Sri Lanka. Some highlights from the event:   |
| Last Updated on Wednesday, 28 July 2010 11:06 |