INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS DAY – 10TH DECEMBER INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS IN LITHUANIA your rights as a foreigner

Every year around the world we celebrate Human Rights Day on the 10th of December to mark the anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 10th of December 1948. The European Foundation of Human Rights (EFHR), together with the International Students Association of Mykolas Romeris University and Amnesty International,  will  organize a day full of surprises to honour the International Day of Human Rights and the 64th anniversary of the UDHR.

On 10th of December from 9h00 to 14h30, EFHR, together with Amnesty International, will organize Write for Rights (a Global Letter Writing Marathon). Millions of Amnesty International supporters from around the globe are set to take part in the world’s largest annual human rights campaign. Activists from all corners of the world will be signing petitions, writing letters, organizing events and posting tweets. This year, for the first time in Lithuania, at Mykolas Romeris University, Building II, Second Floor, there will be a stand for signatures, to take action and collect signatures of support for the following individuals at risk:

• The release of Chelsea Manning, the US whistler-blower who is currently serving a 35-year prison sentence for leaking classified government material to the website Wikileaks
• Proper health care for women and girls in Mkhondo Municipality. Pregnant women and new mothers in eastern South Africa are dying needlessly because they are not getting vital health care
• To ensure that the men responsible for the attack on Paraskevi Kokoni and her nephew are convicted without delay, and that any sentence takes into account the racist motive of the crime
• Demanding immediate release of Erkin Musaev. He is a former Uzbekistani Ministry of Defence. He was sentenced to 20 years in jail in 2007 after a series of unfair trials.

In the afternoon, from 14h40 to 17h30 the Human Rights picnic will take place. A guest from the migration office of Lithuania will deliver the new changes in the Lithuanian migration policy affecting International students, following an introduction by the International Students Association (ISA), and the presentation of the rights of foreigners by EFHR. Following the discussion there will be a showing of the  documentary movie “Ethnic Kitchen” – Can Lithuania be your land of dreams?-  telling the stories and experiences of four young non-Lithuanian women  currently living in Lithuania.

Organizers:

International Students Association of Mykolas Romeris University (ISA): International Students Association (ISA) was created with the aim of uniting all international students at Mykolas Romeris University, to assist international students in adapting to university life and achieve the common objectives: student representation and intermediary role between students and university authorities, providing mentoring support, collaboration with other organizations to resolve academic issues affecting international students at MRU, social and living conditions, organize events and intercultural activities.

Amnesty International is a non-governmental organization focused on human rights with over 3 million members and supporters around the world. The stated objective of the organization is to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated.

The European Foundation of Human Rights (EFHR)  is an organization actively operating in Lithuania since 2010. The main objectives of EFHR is to improve the situation regarding Human Rights in Lithuania, raise awareness of the importance of the protection of these rights as well as fight against any form of discrimination. Among other activities, the foundation offers free legal advice to anyone who is a victim of human rights abuses in the public or private sphere. EFHR also carries out educational programmes in schools where it provides children and teachers with valuable information on human rights, including the rights of national minorities.

Mykolas Romeris University: Room No. I-414

Ateities st.20, LT-08303 Vilnius, Lithuania.

14:40 – welcome words and presentation of MRU’s International Students Association (ISA)

14:50 – Human Rights in Lithunia (EFHR)

15:20 – recent changes in Lithuanian migration policy affecting international students (Invited speaker from Migration office of Lithuania, HQ)

15:50 – Can Lithuania be your land of dreams? Screening of the documentary “ETHNIC KITCHEN” (starring MRU’s International student Keisha Laraine Ingram) and discussion over drinks & snacks

For more information please contact:

* Lahcen Mehennaoui: Tel : 00370 67 586 127  /  E-mail: mb_lahcen@yahoo.fr

* EFHR! Tel: 00370 69 150 822 / E-mail: m.gryciuk@efhr.eu;  i.vajda@efhr.eu;

* ISA / E-mail:   isa@mruni.eu

EFHR