International Human RIghts Day at Saint Alban's

The United Nation’s General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the first global proclamation of its kind, on Dec. 10, 1948. Each year, people around the world gather to celebrate International Human Rights Day (IHRD), and this year the people at Saint Alban Episcopal Church have decided to host two events in its honor.

Saint Alban's invites the public to take part in a simple community meal on Dec. 9 at 6:30 p.m. Vegetarian and non-vegetarian options will be available and the dinner is free. This is an opportunity to meet others who are interested in human rights and social justice issues. Gather with others on Dec. 10 at 7 p.m. for a candlelight vigil to remember those who have been affected by human rights violations and honor the activists from the past and present who strive for equality. Those who are interested in attending one or both of these events can register at http://stalbans-ihrd.eventbrite.com.

Both events will be held at Saint Alban Episcopal Church, 2555 Euclid Heights Blvd., and are free and open to the public. The Saint Alban’s community extends the use of its space to act as an open place for learning and discussion in the hope that IHRD will be a catalyst for more gatherings, events and opportunities to advocate for human rights in the Cleveland area. Saint Alban’s was inspired to host an event by the Blue Scarf movement, which was started by a group of women in Kandahar, Afghanistan, who wore blue scarfs and prayed publicly for peace. They chose the color blue to represent the sky we all share. Their movement grows has grown to become a global phenomenon.

Saint Alban Episcopal Church has functioned as a neighborhood church since its founding. It began as a mission on the corner of Murray Hill Road and Fairview Avenue, two blocks west of Mayfield Road in Little Italy. The original building was completed and dedicated in 1892. This same building was moved in 1897 by ox cart up the hill to the present location of Saint Alban’s.

Megan Brenner

Megan Brenner is a first-year MSW student at Case Western Reserve University, in the Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences.

Read More on Non-Profit & Groups
Volume 5, Issue 12, Posted 7:38 PM, 11.29.2012