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As a result of its great success in its inaugural year, the UMaine Human Rights Awareness Week is back this year from Jan. 28 until Feb. 3 and is packed full of events designed to raise awareness of human rights violations in the world today.
The program started last year when Emily Albee, a senior history and elementary education major and the former director of Multicultural Programs and the ALANA Center, wanted to create a program to encourage human rights awareness.
She found plenty of student support, and her efforts “evolved into a whole week of human rights violations, because there are, unfortunately, a whole lot to cover,” she said.
Human Rights Awareness Week is organized by UMaine students from many different programs on campus, including the Office of International Programs, Multicultural Programs, the Wilson Center, the Newman Center and Peace Studies.
The week is full of events, activities, presentations, food, valuable speakers and much more. All events are designed to make people more aware of human rights violations.
Many issues are being covered during the week of events including Agent Orange poisoning, a toxin sprayed over southeastern Asian jungles during the Vietnam War. The chemical has caused lasting birth defects in people in the area, and children are still being affected today.
Some of the other issues will include modern slavery, the future of global economic development, the healing process of growing up with war and women’s rights.
Starting off the week of events on Saturday was the O.S. Earth Global Simulation Workshop at Lengyel Gym.
This was an interactive simulation of up to 100 people that showed what will happen over the next 30 years in terms of global economic development. The players represented geopolitical regions, multinational conglomerates of corporations and global organizations dedicated to special issues such as health, human rights and education.
The simulation showed how the world works and what needs to be done to make it better.
Sunday featured “Hip-Hop Without Borders,” a presentation by Alex Steed from the University of Southern Maine.
He talked about his work incorporating hip-hop into the healing process of Serbian teens as they recover from the violence of war during their childhoods.
Monday, the focus is Agent Orange Awareness Night, from 7-9 p.m. at 100 Donald P. Corbett Building.
Organized by Anh Do, a sophomore business student from Vietnam, and other members of the Student Heritage Alliance Center at UMaine, the night will begin with a video and photo presentation describing the long-lasting effects of the Agent Orange chemicals sprayed during the Vietnam War.
The night will continue with a student panel and an analysis from UMaine history professor Ngo Vinh Long. It will conclude with a short candlelight vigil in front of Fogler Library.
Tuesday will start with a Women in the Curriculum luncheon, which will discuss the topic “Retelling Our Story: Building Power within the Women’s and Social Justice Movements.”
The lecture will take place from 12:15-1:30 p.m. in the Bangor Room of Memorial Union. It will feature a student panel discussing women’s rights as human rights.
At 7 p.m. in 100 Neville Hall, there will be a UMaine Peace Studies film screening of “Scared Sacred,” a first-person narrative of the search for meaning in times of turmoil.
Wednesday is themed as “Confronting Genocide and Slavery.” The night will consist of a talk entitled “21st Century Slavery: Living Proof” led by Sudanese refugee and former slave Simon Deng.
He will speak about his experiences and the dire situation in Darfur, Sudan from 7-9 p.m. in 101 Neville Hall.
After a discussion, reflection and a call to action, a candlelight vigil in front of Fogler Library will follow the program.
Thursday starts with the Socialist Marxist luncheon, which includes a student panel offering its perspectives.
It will take place from 12:30-1:45 p.m. in the Bangor Room of Memorial Union.
Later, at 7 p.m., the Maine Peace Action Committee will screen the film “Sir, No Sir!” about the GI movement against the Vietnam War.
Friday wraps up the week of events with the Hunger Awareness Soup and Bread Reception from 5-8 p.m. in the Multipurpose Room of Memorial Union.
The evening will conclude with a night of discussion, awareness and fundraising to benefit Crossroads Ministries of Old Town.
Bangor Daily News