Youth delegates from 30 countries came together with human rights defenders this weekend at the 7th Annual Youth for Human Rights International Summit, in support of making the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights widely known and used.

Youth delegates from 30 countries came together with human rights defenders this weekend at the 7th Annual Youth for Human Rights International Summit, in support of making the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights  widely known and used. Held in the United Nations Palais des Nations in Geneva, the event was also attended by over 60 UN diplomats.

The Summit opened with a procession of the youth delegates carrying the flag of their respective nation, and a welcoming address from Mr. Adalbert Nouga, Founder of the Village Suisse NGO. He praised the Youth Delegates for their commitment and Youth for Human Rights International for promotion of the Universal Declaration and its development of human rights youth advocacy.

Formed in 2001, Youth for Human Rights International (YHRI) is dedicated to fostering tolerance and peace through promotion of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the first document to define the fundamental freedoms and human rights in the United Nations Charter. The Declaration, ratified by the UN General Assembly in 1948, has influenced national constitutions, treaties, laws, and human rights institutions the world over.

Growing in popularity each year, the 2010 Summit attracted nearly 1,000 applicants who submitted essays on human rights with evidence of their human rights education advocacy over the past year. The annual event provides YHRI members opportunities to learn about the UN and share their experiences in promoting the UN Declaration. This year a recent UN Resolution proclaiming August 2010-2011 the “Year of Youth” was also honored as part of the Summit’s theme.

The Summit included presentations from each Youth Delegate on their human rights activities; special addresses by human rights NGOs; a panel discussion on the human rights education draft resolution currently under discussion by the Human Rights Council of the United Nations; and presentation of Human Rights Advocate Awards for stellar contribution to human rights education.

The 2010 Summit was co-sponsored by the Uganda Permanent Mission to the UN, the Haiti Permanent Mission to the UN, Village Suisse NGO, Friends of the United Nations, Ariel Foundation International, the African Diaspora Foundation and the Human Rights Department of the Church of Scientology International, which has also sponsored the distribution of millions of YHRI educational materials, including public service messages about the Universal Declaration and the educational film, The Story of Human Rights.

“When the United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in the aftermath of World War II, it called upon member countries to cause it to be disseminated, displayed, read and expounded in schools and other educational institutions,” said Dr. Mary Shuttleworth, educator and YHRI Founder. “This remains the most vital cause and challenge of our times.”

Scientologist, Marc Kosta, who invented the one use only syringe to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS and other disease, is featured on the Scientology website  in a feature called “Meet a Scientologist.”

His work was covered in an article on Wired magazine, and is excerpted here, along with a video on the educational foundation he has created.

ONE USE ONLY: THE BROKEN SYRINGE THAT SAVES LIVES

_{rom Wired magazine: By Katie Scott, 06 August 2009}

“In 1984, Marc Koska read a newspaper article predicting the spread of HIV through medical syringes. He decided to take action and spent the next ten years researching the spread of diseases through the use of dirty syringes.

“His studies found that there were 23,000 HIV infections due to unsafe injections each year, as well as one million of hepatitis C and 21 million of hepatitis B. This results in about 1.3 million deaths per year.”

“Koska’s solution is a syringe that can only be used once. The AD (Auto Disable) syringe, or K1”

“Kosta has also created a charity called Safepoint, which sets out to educate people about the dangers of re-using syringes.” >>

Churches of Scientology in 14 countries joined forces with Youth for Human Rights International (YHRI) last week conducting a global petition drive in support of human rights education. Based on the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the petition calls on governments to make human rights education mandatory and to conduct human rights education campaigns. The Declaration was ratified by the UN General Assembly in 1948 and defines the fundamental freedoms and human rights in the United Nations Charter. Since that time it has influenced national constitutions, treaties, laws, and human rights institutions the world over.

“The Universal Declaration does more than condemn discrimination, slavery and torture,” said Rev. Bob Adams, spokesperson for the Church of Scientology International.  “Unfortunately, most people are unaware of the full scope of these rights and so have no way of knowing when these rights are violated.  It’s not something only for governments to care for—we all have an interest in these rights.”

Scientologists, their families and friends took to busy street corners, festivals and shopping centers and city squares, where they presented booklets and videos, engaged in human rights discussions and gained support for the cause on giant petition boards.   Active on many fronts of human rights initiatives and reform for five decades, the Church sponsors a worldwide human rights initiative to raise awareness and respect for the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.  This includes distribution of millions of booklets and the airing of 30 public service messages, both based on the Declaration’s articles.  In 2009, the Church sponsored the production of a new educational film, The Story of Human Rights, a 20-minute entertaining and historical account of the development of human rights, and a new human rights educators kit.  To date, these materials have reached over 500 million people in 180 countries.

“The Universal Declaration of Human Rights recognizes the inherent dignity and rights of all members of the human family as the foundation of freedom, justice and peace,” said Rev. Adams.  “The world needs a lot more people knowing it and supporting it.”

_{A team of Scientology Volunteer Ministers traveled to Gonaïves from their Haiti headquarters in Pétionville,  to provide seminars to the people of the city.}

Nancy, an American teacher who spent her summer with the Scientology Haiti Disaster Response Team, traveled with two other Volunteer Ministers to Gonaïves to give seminars to the residents of the town decimated by storms in 2004 and 2008.   There, the local Volunteer Ministers who invited them brought the team to a school and two churches to provide training in Scientology technology.  Here is Nancy’s story:

I had heard that in Haiti when you announce a seminar, 50 people appear out of nowhere to attend.  I thought it was an exaggeration, but that’s exactly how it seemed in Gonaïves, where we filled two churches and a school to capacity for a series of seminars on Scientology assists—techniques developed by L. Ron Hubbard to help people recover from illness, injury, loss and trauma.

The seminars were simple and very practical.  We passed out copies in French of the Scientology Handbook booklets called “Assists for Illnesses and Injuries,” and after a brief demonstration got attendees right into action—practice,  practice, practice until they were confident they could use these techniques and teach them to their friends and families.

_{Seminar attendee reading the Scientology Handbook “Assists for Illnesses and Injuries” booklet.}

In the “touch assist” you tell the person you are helping to feel your finger as you touch them, to help restore communication with injured or affected body parts and the body as a whole.  I learned to say “feel my finger” in Haitian Creole—”santi dwèt mwen”—and acknowledge the person for doing so with a “thank you” (merci), “OK” (d’accord), or “very good” (très bien).

_{Seminar attendees practice the Scientology touch assist on one another.}

I demonstrated how to do the assist and attendees quickly stepped up to drill the technique on each other while I walked around making sure they were doing it correctly, referring them to the right page in the booklet when they had any questions.  The “practice” assists quickly turned into the real thing—those receiving them would suddenly look up with a smile or a sigh or a “Wow, I feel much better.”

Everyone wanted to give and receive them—teenagers, young moms, older men and women—it was amazing to watch them experience relief from pain as their tight muscles relaxed and their joints loosened up.

_{Scientology Volunteer Ministers demonstrate nerve assists, procedures developed by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard to restore communication with the body.}

Next was the nerve assist, which gently releases the standing waves in nerve channels, improves communication with the body and brings relief. We had them read the directions in the Scientology Handbook booklet and laid blankets down on the floor to demonstrate the assist.  They gathered around to watch and learn and then eagerly got down on the blankets to receive and give these assists themselves.  The relief they gained from these assists was remarkable.

_{Scientology Volunteer Ministers Assist Seminar in Gonaïves.}

Hurricane season rarely spares the people of Gonaïves.  As in Port-au-Prince, where lack of  building codes and standard construction practices are blamed for the inconceivable devastation of the January 2010 earthquake, in Gonaïves, too, destructive “solutions” have exacerbated the effects of natural disasters.

With oil too expensive in this country of poverty, for decades the people of Haiti chopped down their forests for charcoal to cook their food.  By 2004, little more that one percent of the forests remained. With hillsides stripped of trees, three days of heavy rains caused mudslides and floods killing over 2,500 people in Gonaïves.  Another 500 died under similar circumstances in 2008.

Our two days of seminars didn’t change that.  But we put this tool called “Scientology Assists” into the hands of more than 200 people—a skill they intend to use with their friends and families to bring relief and help make life more livable.  And we shared the news that “Something Can be done about it”—the motto of the Scientology Volunteer Ministers.

_{Hundreds of Scientology Volunteer Ministers groups have been established throughout Haiti}

Conditions in Haiti can be improved, technology does exist for raising the bar on ethics and morals, improving literacy, and   accomplishing goals. And this is all available through the Scientology Handbook and the Haiti Scientology Volunteer Ministers headquarters in Pétionville.  Here, hundreds of Volunteer Ministers groups are forming up and thousands are learning to use these tools to create a better future for their city and their country.

A ten-day anti-drug marathon brought the truth about drugs to cities throughout the Netherlands.  Five former addicts and two additional volunteers participated in the run, coordinated by staff of the Church of Scientology of Amsterdam.

The runners want to education people about drugs.  “If people really knew the truth, they would not start.  It is important to for them to see how much harm drugs cause,” said Merel Remmerswaal, Social Reform Director of the Church of Scientology of Amsterdam and spokesperson for the marathon.

Cities visited included Lemmer, Horn, Lelystad, Almere, Amsterdam, Medemblik and Urk.>>

Haiti is a land that “once was.”  Occasional patches of concrete through the rubble in the Port-au-Pince streets evidence there must once have been roads. The French-colonial hotels with their wide verandas once must have been quite elegant.  And the passenger terminal that welcomed guests flying into the country in days past is long gone—replaced by a concrete-block hangar.

It is as though a 150-foot giant rampaged through Port-au-Prince on a drunken spree with a huge hammer—the teams of 30-50 government employees wielding pick axes, buckets and shovels around town are no match for the rubble he left behind.

More than a million Haitians live in tent cities now—little has been done to rebuild and there is no place else to go.

The structures that imploded on January 12, 2010, are crumbled monuments to those who saved a few dollars by adding extra sand to the concrete and those who condoned the lack of building codes.  The schools, markets and homes spared no one, not even those who built them, when they collapsed.

For the past month, as part of the Scientology Haiti  Volunteer Minister Relief Team, I’ve been doing what I can to change this, and help the freedom-loving people of Haiti transform their “once was” country into the nation they deserve.

There is wisdom in the maxim of teaching a man to fish rather than feeding him a meal and this is the philosophy of the Scientology Volunteer Ministers program; we help others by giving them knowledge they can use  to make their lives better—knowledge that is easily taught, quickly learned, and useful in everyday life.

Ranking high among the skills we teach is a body of knowledge called Scientology assists.  Administered to help people recover from illness and injury (once needed first aid has been applied), assists can also relieve loss, trauma and the spiritual factors that contribute to chronic conditions.

A Scientology Volunteer Minister demonstrates a Scientology assist in a seminar in Haiti.

For most of my stay in Haiti I’ve been living (along with Russians, French, Australians, Mexicans and of course Haitians) at the program’s headquarters in Petionville, in the hills above Port-au-Prince, training Haitian Volunteer Ministers.  And I have learned so much from the Haitian people I’ve met—their beauty, resilience and optimism despite the ordeals they’ve survived.

While in Haiti, I ventured to Gonaïves with two other Volunteer Ministers.  A group from this town had attended a Scientology assist seminar in Port-au-Prince and asked us to bring this technology to their city as they prepare for this year’s hurricane season.

The hundred-mile bus trip begins with…waiting.  The bus only leaves Port-au-Prince for Gonaïves when it is full, and we soon learned that “full” means three adults to a seat in an ancient school bus.  Our only guarantee of a seat for the three-hour trip was to sit there from 7:10 until 8:40 in the morning while the bus slowly filled up. Once underway there was one hour on an asphalt road.  The rest of the way we barreled over concrete, ruts and rock and held our breath as the bus repeatedly swerved into the oncoming traffic lane to dodge stalled trucks.

On arriving in Gonaïves I was struck by its resemblance to the black and white images of ghost towns in old American westerns.  Although spared the wrath of the January 12 earthquake, it had never recovered from the tropical storms and hurricanes that decimated the city in 2004 and 2008.

But that impression ended when our seminars began.  I was once again struck by the spirit of the Haitian people—the true descendants of those who prevailed against the military might of Napoleon’s France; the only country in recorded history to have formed a free nation from a successful slave revolt—60 years before America’s Emancipation Proclamation.

Continued…

Celebrating 83 years in the heart of Clearwater, this historical icon is available for charity functions and tours by the community as well as a special weekly Open House on Sundays

Aug 18, 2010, Clearwater—In celebration of the 83rd anniversary of the Fort Harrison, The Church of Scientology Flag Service Organization, the owner of the facility, has announced that it is hosting “Sundays at the Fort Harrison”, a weekly Open House from 11:30 am to 2:30 pm on Sundays.

The Open House features tours of the Fort Harrison highlighted by heartwarming stories of the Clearwater landmark, live entertainment and special culinary events.

“The Fort Harrison is a part of the heritage of Clearwater,” said Lisa Mansell, Community Affairs Director for the Church.  “We are encouraging groups, organizations and families to tour the Fort Harrison so that they re-connect with the history of our beautiful city.”

Built by businessman Ed Haley at the height of the Florida land boom, the stately Fort Harrison hosted the sparkling lights of Clearwater society for fashion shows, bridge tournaments, Kiwanis and Rotary Club meetings, wedding receptions and the annual George Washington’s Birthday Ball.  Many local residents remember going to their high school prom, attending cotillion or swimming in the Fort Harrison pool.

Notable guests included humanitarian Helen Keller and the Rolling Stones, who stayed in the hotel’s penthouse in 1965 writing the song “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” after an especially disappointing concert at Jack Russell Stadium.

The Church of Scientology purchased the hotel in 1975 and undertook detailed renovations to restore the aging facility to its former grandeur and beyond.  The Church’s founder, L. Ron Hubbard, worked at the Fort Harrison for several years until the church’s international administration moved to Los Angeles.

Completed in 2009, the renovation and restoration of the property started in April 2008, when it was stripped virtually bare and rebuilt from its core.  This included installation of new state-of-the-art systems—plumbing, electrical and central air and heating—as well as fully modernized professional kitchens to service the retreat’s three restaurants.  Particular care was taken to make the work and the final product environmentally friendly.  This included recycled “blue jean” insulation, high efficiency water systems to reduce consumption and energy-efficient lighting, electrical and air conditioning.

Despite all the modernization, the Fort Harrison still bears its hallmark historical touches, including the replication of the lobby’s original black wrought iron work and gold leafed moldings, resurfacing of the entire exterior as well as restoring architectural detail that had been lost in the building’s “modernization” in the 1950’s.

The Fort Harrison is the international spiritual retreat of the Church of Scientology where parishioners come from all over the world to partake of the Church’s religious services.  However, the Church has opened its doors to community groups and charitable organizations since it bought the Fort Harrison and invites them to use the magnificent Crystal Ballroom, the grand auditorium and gardens for their charity functions.

Since the Fort Harrison’s grand re-opening in March of 2009, groups such as the North Greenwood Community Coalition, Jazztorians, the Sunscreen Film Festival and the Clearwater Downtown Partnership have utilized the facility for their fundraisers.

For more information, and for scheduling tours and booking private community events at the Fort Harrison, contact Lisa Mansell at (727) 467–6860.

# # #

About the Church of Scientology Flag Service Organization: The Church of Scientology Flag Service Organization is the international religious retreat for the Church of Scientology’s millions of parishioners. Some 12,000 Scientologists travel to Clearwater every year to partake in Scientology religious services. There are over 8,500 Scientology churches, missions and groups in 165 countries. Scientology is an applied religious philosophy founded by author and humanitarian L. Ron Hubbard. Scientology means “study of knowledge” and its basic tenets include that man is a spiritual being who is seeking to survive. For more information visit www.scientology.org

United Nations’ International Year of the Youth was kicked off by Youth for Human Rights Florida with a petition drive in the Tampa Bay area on August 12 through August 15, gathering over 500 signatures to get human rights taught in schools and reaching hundreds of kids with the human rights message.

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon says, “Youth should be given a chance to take an active part in the decision-making of local, national and global levels.”

In the spirit of the International Year of Youth, Youth for Human Rights Florida is stepping up its work, and hopes to take an active part in important decision-making issues by urging leaders in Florida to recognize that children who do not know their rights are vulnerable, and to promote the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and cause it to be taught principally in schools and other educational institutions.

To better understand the importance of including human rights education in  schools and universities’ curriculums, a person could reflect on the pain and suffering as well as the millions of innocent lives lost in and before the World Wars. Those were the events that led to the UDHR in 1948.

Ignorance is a fertile breeding ground for abuse. Knowledge empowers.

It doesn’t take a genius to improve the conditions around one. Many people from ordinary backgrounds, ordinary homes and with ordinary means, all with a common determination, could help make this a better world in some small way.

Youth for Human Rights Florida is a secular non-profit organization with the mission to educate about Human Rights both in and out of the classroom. The uniqueness of the program lies in the educational materials created in collaboration with the Human Rights Department of the Church of Scientology International. Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard stated: “Human rights must be made a fact, not an idealistic dream”.  These educational materials include youth-designed videos of the 30 Human Rights according to the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, along with a documentary, “The Story of Human Rights”, booklets and an educator’s guide.

Everyone can help ensure human rights are learned by signing the petition at www.youthforhumanrights.org.

Some of the graduates at the Scientology Volunteer Ministers ceremony in Haiti, awarded certificates after completing training on Scientology Assists—spiritual first aid for the relief of pain and trauma.

A ceremony at the Scientology Volunteer Ministers Headquarters in the Port-au-Prince suburb of Petionville on Friday, August 13, 2010, honored more than 100 graduates of Scientology Assists training—spiritual first aid for the relief of pain and trauma.  The graduates, many of them leaders of local Volunteer Ministers groups, use this technology in towns, villages and IDP (internally displaced persons) camps throughout the country. This was the second graduation held since the headquarters opened in May 2010.

It was a lively affair MCed by Dernel Metellus, leader of a local Volunteer Ministers group.  Three yellow tents were erected in the courtyard for the occasion and more than 250 guests filled the benches and cheered as certificates were presented to the new VMs.

The need for a local headquarters and training center became apparent within weeks of the Haiti earthquake.  First, Volunteer Ministers arriving on the scene gave medical assistance, distributed food and supplies, or helped with construction of buildings and sanitation facilities. But right from the start, the Volunteer Ministers provided their own unique form of disaster relief, based on the works of L. Ron Hubbard, Founder of the Scientology religion—Scientology assists that speed recovery from illness, injuries, loss and trauma.

In hospitals and clinics, villages and refugee camps, as people saw the results of this technology they wanted to learn to use it to help their friends and families.  Many Volunteer Ministers who came to help in the first two months have since returned to Haiti, determined to continue to do their part to ensure the country fully recovers.  And interest from the Haitian people was so intense, it soon became clear a central base of operation would be needed.

The Volunteer Ministers headquarters in Petionville was established in May 2010 to coordinate the work of local groups, provide a base of operation for Volunteer Ministers from outside the country, and train new Scientology Volunteer Ministers group leaders who would then train their members to deliver seminars throughout the island.

Volunteer Ministers technology is contained in the Scientology Handbook.  In addition to Assists, the Handbook also covers communication skills, solutions to a dangerous environment, Study Technology and 15 other subjects—all aimed at helping people improve their lives and the lives of those around them.  From disaster relief in the wake of catastrophe, the goal has now expanded to providing the full array of technology to help the people of Haiti build a new future for their country.

Beginning with a few small groups in Port-au-Prince, Delmas and Carrefour, this grassroots movement has expanded to more than 500 groups actively delivering Volunteer Ministers services throughout Haiti.

The students at the August 13 graduation ceremony completed  intensive training and received official certificates signed by their supervisors and the head of the Volunteer Ministers operation in Haiti. One by one, the graduates came forward to receive their certificates to the applause of the crowd of fellow students and friends.

NEW YORK – “Only when we all know our human rights, can we have dignity, freedom and peace,” said Michael Hall, speaking for the New York Branch of Youth for Human Rights, on the New York streets Saturday as part of a worldwide network of petitioning events.

Youth for Human Rights is a worldwide network of groups in 88 countries, and YFHR volunteers and supporters held human rights petition drives from August 12 through August 15 in honor of the UN International Day of Youth.

Hall, one of a group manning a colorful booth and gathering signatures, explained that the Youth for Human Rights Petition aims at bringing about real implementation of the Universal Declaration. The petition has been signed to date by hundreds of thousands of people around the world.

“While we think of other countries as the site of human rights violations, there are situations in this country – human trafficking, discrimination against minorities, intolerance of individual expression – that need to be dealt with. And we need to be vigilant to ensure our rights are preserved.”

“And on a more personal level,” said Hall, “a commitment to human rights allows us to treat one other with dignity and respect,” said Hall .

“Even children have human rights,” says Hall, “and as we enter the United Nations International Year of Youth, we urge leaders in countries around the world to recognize that where youth do not know their rights, they are particularly vulnerable.”

The petition urges that such leaders promote the UDHR and “cause it to be disseminated, displayed, read and expounded principally in schools and other educational institutions, without distinction based on the political status of countries or territories,” in accordance with the General Assembly when the document was adopted and proclaimed on December 10th, 1948.

YFHR was founded by members of the Church of Scientology, but now includes people from a wide variety of creeds and ethnicities. More data, downloadable videos re human rights, and a chance to sign the petition online, are available at http://www.youthforhumanrights.org.

Reprinted from The Nexus Queens: Queens Federation of Churches

Eight months after the Haiti earthquake left vast sections of the country in ruins, the Scientology Volunteer Ministers Haiti Disaster Response Team continues to provide relief to the Haitian people.

The first priority in January was saving lives—the care of the injured in local hospitals and clinics.  But, with the worst of the medical emergency over, there was still an enormous task ahead.  More than 1.5 million were left homeless; an estimated 230,000 had died; nearly everyone lost family members and friends; schools and colleges collapsed; businesses were destroyed—and all in a country already suffering from the greatest poverty, worst literacy levels and lowest life expectancy in the Western Hemisphere.

The task was daunting.  But the Scientology Volunteer Ministers who arrived in Haiti from the U.S., Canada, Europe, Russia, Australia and Latin America were determined to make a difference.  So while they continue to provide medical assistance and deliver food to camps and orphanages, over the past six months they have concentrated on establishing more than 600 local Volunteer Minister groups and training the members in basic Scientology Volunteer Minister technology to reach out into camps and outlying villages with help.

In creating the Volunteer Ministers program in 1976, L. Ron Hubbard wrote, “A Volunteer Minister does not shut his eyes to the pain, evil and injustice of existence.  Rather, he is trained to handle these things and help others achieve relief from them and new personal strength as well.”  The Volunteer Minister does this by using the technology of Scientology to change conditions for the better.

Scientology Volunteer Ministers, traveling to outlying villages, load supplies into a tap-tap bus. Tap-taps are privately owned vehicles—a cross between a cab service and public transportation.

Tens of thousands of MREs, “Meals Ready to Eat,”self-contained meals like those used by American soldiers, were shipped to Haiti in April on a cargo ship sponsored by the Church of Scientology.  Volunteer Ministers load MREs onto a tap-tap to distribute to outlying villages.

A team of Volunteer Ministers travel to a village to provide seminars in Scientology assists, technology developed by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard to address the spiritual factors in illness and injury and help the individual overcome trauma.

More than 7,000 Haitian Volunteer Ministers are now trained to deliver seminars throughout the island.