Hometown Girl on International Stage as she Speaks at International Summit at United Nations Headquarters

New York, NY - Youth for Human Rights International hosted the 15th annual International Human Rights Summit in the ECOSOC Chambers at the United Nations in New York July 4 though July 7th, 2018. Eighty-eight Youth Ambassadors from 53 countries joined a full chamber of UN officials, human rights activists and advocates, human rights NGOs, religious leaders, and civil society at this Annual International Summit.

Demme Durrett, John Cooper School ’15 and Columbia University, Barnard College senior and Athena Scholar, majoring in Human Rights and American Studies, minoring in Art History, was chosen to represent the United States of America as Youth Ambassador at the International Summit.  She was selected out of over 1800 applicants to represent her country due to her work in her local home community, as well as her NYC community, which included the extremely popular community-wide event, the Human Rights Walk and Festival held in the greater Houston, Texas area, her hometown, as well as the 3rd Annual Columbia Human Rights Day Celebration, in which she partnered with the official UN Light Artist, Peter Rogina for the first installation of Peace Lights at Columba University this past December.

“Human rights education is so important because with it comes the power to help end human rights abuses, and as a result, the ability to spread peace and tolerance. It is our responsibility to do something about human rights abuses and together, we can, but it starts with education” said Durrett. “I believe that it is up to my generation to create a world that we can be proud of: one that is free from poverty, hate, cruelty, and injustice.”

During the summit, international Human Rights speakers ranged from Secretary-General of the Organization of American States, Luis Almagro, who discussed plans to introduce the Youth for Human Rights educational program to all nations in the Americas, to seasoned human rights advocates and activists, including Durrett, sharing their own experiences, and the maximum impact in their work. Here, Durrett discussed her efforts and successes over the past twelve months, in engaging the community at large in fun and interactive human rights events, such as the case of her large-scale Human Rights Day Walks and Festivals, Meet Me at the Met, a Human Rights related art tour she conducted for NYC public school 4th graders, and the Peace Lights exhibition she coordinated and held on Columbia’s campus, the opportunity to speak at a global conference in Riyadh, Sadia Arabia, while being interviewed on Saudi television regarding human rights education, and many other community-based events in between.

“It’s truly an incredible honor to be presenting alongside such influential people making a difference in the world and also with those whose positions in life make it easier to change entire countries with one recommendation for a Human Rights education program to be implemented. I hope to be in that position as well one day.”

Durrett and her team also holds the Human Rights Walk and Festival in Texas annually, which celebrates International Human Rights Day and has been the largest event of its kind in the US for the past seven years. Planning is already underway for the 8th Annual Human Rights Day Celebration which will take place on Saturday, December 8th, 2018, from 10:30am to 1pm. Durrett, along with Student Director, Pablo Flower, John Cooper School junior, are currently seeking corporate sponsorship and underwriters for the event and free registration is already open. For all information regarding the upcoming 8th Annual Human Rights Day Celebration visit www.HumanRightsWalk.org.

Durrett is the founder and Co-director of the non-profit organization, Youth for Human Rights-USA. At the website you can see other projects she and her organization are working on to help make human rights a reality for all.  www.YourHumanRights.org.

Youth for Human Rights USA (a 501.c3 Not for Profit organization) is dedicated to making Human Rights a Reality. We work with other human rights organizations to co-sponsor educational festivals, events and activities that enlighten the broad public on their human rights.

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This release was published on openPR.