Harlem Applauds Young Activists at the Finale of the Human Rights Summit

A multi-cultural celebration hosted by the Church of Scientology Harlem is the send-off for youth delegates and ambassadors from around the world on the last day of the 15th annual Human Rights Summit of Youth for Human Rights International.

Queen Mother Dr. Delois N. Blakely, Honorary Community Mayor of Harlem and founder of New Future Foundation, welcomed 88 young human rights advocates from around the world to Harlem. Hosted by the Church of Scientology Harlem the celebration was the final day of the International Human Rights Summit of Youth for Human Rights International.

Representing 53 nations, 88 Summit delegates and youth ambassadors arrived in New York July 5 for the Summit. The first two days took place at United Nations headquarters in New York. The final day of the summit began with a workshop in the chapel of the Church of Scientology Harlem.

Delegates and ambassadors watched the video “Human Rights in Nigeria” on the work of Pascal Nwoga, the head of the Youth for Human Rights chapter for his country. The film is an original documentary that airs on the Scientology TV channel.

https://www.scientology.tv/series/voices-for-humanity/pascal-nwoga.html

Youth for Human Rights International Executive Director Ruslan Khusainov then walked the delegates through every element of the campaign, including community outreach, opening new chapters, promoting human rights in schools and reaching government leaders with the importance of human rights education.

Youth then networked and laid out plans for their human rights activities for the coming year.

The afternoon was a multi-cultural celebration of the arts, with performances by students of Rybin Studio of Drama kicked off by a young Michael Jackson impersonator who moonwalked across the stage. There was also a performance by Narada Michael Walden, and Kyera performed her debut single “Passion.” Haitian poet and goodwill ambassador Hugues Sanon came to the stage to speak of the need to make human rights a reality for everyone, everywhere.

Youth for Human Rights founder and president Dr. Mary Shuttleworth recounted the history of the movement she began in 2001 including the past 15 years of annual summits. The remarkable growth of Youth for Human Rights International is documented in “Shining a Light on Human Rights,” another film on the Scientology TV channel.

https://www.scientology.tv/series/voices-for-humanity/mary-shuttleworth.html

After the celebration, attendees dressed in Youth for Human Rights T-shirts and caps and went out into Manhattan and Brooklyn to “read people their rights.” This is based on the Youth for Human Rights public service announcement for Universal Declaration of Human Rights article 29 which states that everyone shares in the responsibility of seeing to the full implementation of these rights, but this cannot be done unless people understand their rights.

Human rights advocacy is an integral part of the Scientology religion. The Creed of the Church of Scientology, written in 1954 by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard, begins: “We of the Church believe: That all men of whatever race, color or creed were created with equal rights.” The Church of Scientology and its parishioners support Youth for Human Rights and United for Human Rights, making it possible to provide their materials free of charge to educators, human rights organizations, and community and civic leaders wishing to educate others on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. For more information, visit the Youth for Human Rights website.