Carol's Corner: POETRY FRIDAY: EVERY HUMAN HAS RIGHTS

EVERY HUMAN HAS RIGHTS:

A PHOTOGRAPHIC DECLARATION FOR KIDS

Based on the United Nations Declaration for Kids

Foreword by Mary Robinson, Former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights

Review copy provided by the publisher

In 1948, just after World War II, members of the United Nations gathered to write the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The Declaration identifies approximately 30 basic human rights, including dignity, safety, food, shelter, privacy, and freedom of expression, that should be the birthright of every human being. The declaration "isn't a law, and it isn't a treaty…it's a document, translated into over 330 languages, that calls on all of us to work as hard as we can to guarantee a world of freedom and peace."

This year marks the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. In honor of that anniversary, the Elders, a group of senior statesman from around the world, collaborated with National Geographic to create a beautiful new book. The starting point of the book was a writing contest, sponsored by the ePals community. Each participating teacher shared the Universal Declaration, written in kid friendly language, with his/her students. Students were then invited to write their responses. National Geographic, along with the Elders, selected sixteen of those responses to include in this beautiful new book. Here is a sample:

"Mother Earth to Her Children"

Listen, my children, listen to me

Each of you was born, crafted from earth

Bound to the land, sea, and sky

And from the moment you drew your first breath

You were free

Never to kneel before your brother

And call him master

For you were both crafted of the same earth.

Lauren Auer, age 18

Student responses were paired with one or two beautiful full-color photographs from around the world. Each two-page spread includes at least one of the basic human rights rights, e.g. "You have the right to a free and safe life," a corresponding student poem or response, and one or two photos. Each photograph is accompanied by a caption that provides information about human rights in that country.

Several added bonuses: a foreword written by Mary Robinson, former president of Ireland and former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the full text of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and a list of websites and other resources for additional information. The first website readers will want to visit is www.EveryHumanHasRights.org, where they can sign the Declaration.

This is a powerful and remarkable book. It is a book every child, and every adult who cares about kids, should own…

POETRY FRIDAY is at WILD ROSE READER.