Model Program

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Town Hall Meetings on Human Rights

The model program for a Human Rights Town Hall Meeting includes the following elements:

Core Elements:

  • Moderator: Greets everyone, introduces program & guest speakers, provides housekeeping information.
  • Speaker(s): Keynote, other speakers help draw audience; inspiration; themes.

and/or

  • Panel(s): Two, one on local human rights issue(s), one on international issue(s).

and/or

  • Roundtable: A series of brief statements on "What the Universal Declaration of Human Rights Means to our Community," with time for audience responses.

Then a series on "What Our Community Can Do to Advance Human Rights Around the World" - with time for audience responses.

  • Declaration: Spokesperson for IN YOUR HANDS proposes two steps:
  1. Public signing of and re-dedication to the UDHR, to include local government, business, labor, church, civil rights, youth, arts and entertainment, service providers and public;

  2. Local human rights education and action initiative, prepared in advance by host committee, to focus on local needs and opportunities: Model projects. A Declaration of Intent to Implement could be distributed or posted and signed by participants, forwarded to media and others. Presentation/discussion.
  • Telecast: A national Town Hall Meeting in New York City will be broadcast live via satellite (on the "Ku" band) from 3:00 to 4:00 PM EST. The event will feature nationally recognized speakers and personal testimonials from across the country. Technical specifications for the down-link will be announced several days before the event.

Optional Elements:

  • Testimonies: Another optional program segment could present personal testimonies, selected in advance by organizers, on local human rights issues. For example: on the impact of welfare reform on poor families, or on the impact of legislation undermining the rights of new immigrants. These testimonies, collected in writing, could provide valuable data to non-governmental organizations filing reports under the provisions of international human rights treaties.
  • Film: Ten minute film on UDHR; tone-setter, should be used early.
  • Awards: Local recognitions (e.g. YWCA Human Rights Heroes or [proposed] new Girl Scout patch(es)).
  • Readings: Readings of original poetry or winning essay of local Human Rights Essay Contest, recital of original music, dance, or other creative rendering of the UDHR or its themes.
  • Closing: Inspirational closing statement(s), music.

Proposed Length of Town Hall Meeting = 2.5 - 4 hours

Note: If total program exceeds 3 hours, food should be provided or available close at hand.