Photo by Angelou Diño/ The LANCE.
IN OBSERVANCE of the Human Rights Day on December 10, the Center for Community Development, spearheaded a week-long Human Rights celebration last November 11 to 15.
The celebration was in collaboration with the Commission on Human Rights and various recognized student organizations of Letran; The LANCE, Letran Community Volunteers, Letran Politicvs, and Letran Legal Management Society.
In 2017, the Colegio formally signed a Memorandum of Agreement with CHR to sustain the values and promote humanity within the community of Letran.
“Last year, 2017, nagkaroon ng formal MOA signing. After the MOA Signing, Letran is officially a Center for Human Rights Education,” CCD Director, Leo Bernadas, said.
“That is why for 2 years, may mga activities tayo na related for Human Rights education,” he added.
The CCD Director also shared that they conducted a 2-day capacity building in line with the goals of CHR last 2018.
FRANCISCO DE VITORIA
While this year’s Human Rights week commemorates the victims of injustices, the celebration was named after Francisco de Vitoria, a Spanish theologian, in remembrance of his formidable contributions to human rights.
The seminars conducted highlighted the story of the Spanish theologian and the Process of Salamanca.
With the center’s vision in human rights initiatives, Bernadas shared that the goal is to also involve the students in human rights activities.
“For a deeper involvement, students may engage in Human Rights activities through research para mas mapalalim pa ang kaalaman nila about Karapatang Pantao,” he said.
Along with this, the sessions held on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday of the week, consistently instilled the CHR mandate, programs and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Rights of Women in the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against women, Rights of the Child, Child Protection Law and the Rights of Indigenous People were among the topics discussed. The organizers capped off the last day of Francisco de Vitoria week by discussing the Rights of Accused, Anti-Torture Law and Rights of Person under custodial investigation.
Meanwhile, the exhibit that conveys the central message related to Human Rights was located near the Finance office.
LOVE FOR HUMANITY
In line with the Colegio’s Quadricentennial Week, The LANCE collaborated with the Center for Community Development in organizing the “Love For Humanity”.
The event consisted of two sessions; first, a seminar about Karapatang Pantao discussed by Michael Adrian Non, a human rights defender, was held.
After this, a candle-lighting ceremony in commemoration of the victims of injustices took place in front of the Colegio.
When asked about his vision after these initiatives, the CCD Director shared, “Ang vision ay maging vibrant center and center for human rights education ng Letran towards building a democratic and peaceful society.”
He furthered by encouraging everyone to involve themselves in this engagement.
“As an individual, we can start here sa loob ng Letran,” Bernadas encouraged.
“Kung ano man ang natutunan natin about human rights education, let’s exercise what we learned not only within the institutions but even outside the four walls of Letran,” he added.
(First published on The LANCE's November 2019 Issue)