Area students learn about human rights issues

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Published on Thursday, June 16, 2016

Photo by John Drinkwater. Participants from Erickson Collegiate’s Human Rights Conference, pictured with flag maker Gilbert Baker (seated).

By John Drinkwater

Neepawa Banner/Neepawa Press

On June 3, the Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) group of Erickson Collegiate Institute (ECI) hosted a Human Rights Conference for Grades 9 to 12. Students from six different schools, including ECI, Elton, MCI, Neepawa, Rivers and Rossburn, took part in an educational and inspirational day of presentations and discussions on some of the human rights issues facing Canadian youth today.

ECI student Emma Gray said during her opening remarks, “As members of the GSA, we work to encourage diversity and safe and inclusive spaces in the school. It is also important to know what we can do if our human rights are violated. We believe that by sharing our stories, we will learn to better understand one another.”

Flag maker, Gilbert Baker was one of the presenters. In 2003 he created a gigantic Rainbow Flag that stretched from the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic Ocean in Key West. Sections of this were then sent to more than 100 cities around the world.

During the afternoon, students took part in a tie dye activity in which supplied t-shirts were dyed with a variety of colours commemorating this conference. ECI teacher and organizer, Julie Collyer commented that students were pleased with the event and another might be planned for 2017, which would include other aspects of Human Rights.