Press release, Wednesday 14 November 2012
Dublin 1 was declared “a new home for equality” today, 14 November 2012, as Sherrard Street Youthreach Student Grace Callery was awarded a human rights prize for an innovative equality-themed branding campaign for the D1 Area.
Grace’s project , D1 – Equality Just Got a Home, scooped top prize amongst a range of creative and imaginative entries to the ICCL-Youthreach Human Rights Competition. She was awarded a tablet computer, courtesy of DID electrical, along with a professional work placement.
Sherrard Street also celebrated joint second place honours, shared between Leonda Nibbs, for her handmade ‘anti-bullying’ boardgame Sticks and Stones and Nicola Maher for a comic strip story board about child protection. Bethany Waters, of Kiltimagh Youthreach centre in Mayo came in third place for her poem I Matter Too.
The competition is a joint initiative of the Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) and Youthreach in partnership with UNICEF Ireland. It calls on Youthreach students nationwide to express themselves about important human rights issues affecting their lives. Entries were invited in any medium: film, poetry, prose, photography or graphic.
Speaking today, ICCL Director Mr Mark Kelly said:
“We are delighted to reward these talented young people for their commitment and solid understanding of human rights and equality issues. Entries to this year’s competition were enthusiastic and varied, testament to the creativity and imagination of the young people participating in Youthreach programmes nationwide.”
ENDS
For further details please contact:
Walter Jayawardene
Communications Manager
Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL)
9-13 Blackhall Place
Dublin 7
Ireland
Tel. + 353 1 799 4503
Mob: +353 87 9981574
Fax. + 353 1 799 4512
E-mail walter.jayawardene@iccl.ie
Web www.iccl.ie
Notes:
The event took place today, from 1.45p in the Office of the Ombudsman for Children, Millennium House, 52-56 Great Strand Street, Dublin 1
Prizes were presented by:
• Sinead Kennedy, presenter with RTE’s Two Tube and Jury participant
• Nikita White, Advocacy Officer at UNICEF Ireland
• Ken Breen of Gallagher Shatter Solicitors, Competition Sponsor
Photos:
Photographs of the ceremony will be taken by Derek Speirs. They will be shared with photo desks directly by ICCL Communications Manager Walter Jayawardene from the email address walter.jayawardene@iccl.ie. They will also be made available on the ICCL’s official Flickr page: http://www.flickr.com/photos/63083264@N05/ from 4pm today. To request any additional images, contact Walter at the details above.
Video:
Video footage of the ceremony, including voxpops with the shortlisted young people, will be taken by Aoibheann O’Sullivan of Distilled Ideas. These will be posted on the ICCL website HERE, and on the ICCL’s Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/IrishCouncilforCivilLiberties
The ICCL/Youthreach Human Rights Competition
A joint initiative of the Irish Council for Civil Liberties and Youthreach in partnership with UNICEF Ireland, the competition called on Youthreach students to express themselves about important human rights issues affecting their lives. Entries were invited in any medium: film, poetry, prose, photography or graphic. The response was enthusiastic and varied, testament to the creativity and imagination of the young people participating in Youthreach programmes nationwide. Further details at: http://www.iccl.ie/the-icclyouthreach-human-rights-competition-2012.html
This is the competition’s second year. Winning entrants from last year’s competition went on to find full time employment and enter third level education.
Youthreach
Youthreach works with unemployed young early school leavers aged 15-20. It offers participants the opportunity to identify and pursue viable options within adult life, and provides them with opportunities to acquire certification and employment opportunities.
UNICEF Ireland
UNICEF Ireland saves and protects the lives of children by supporting UNICEF’s work through fundraising, advocacy and education in Ireland.
The Irish Council for Civil Liberties
The Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) is Ireland’s independent human rights watchdog, which monitors, educates and campaigns in order to secure full enjoyment of human rights for everyone. The ICCL is an entirely independent organisation and does not rely on government support or funding. Founded in 1976 by Mary Robinson and others, the ICCL has played a leading role in some of Ireland’s most successful human rights campaigns. These have included campaigns to establish an independent Garda Ombudsman Commission, legalise the right to divorce, secure more effective protection of children’s rights, decriminalise homosexuality and introduce enhanced equality legislation. Since 1976 the ICCL has tirelessly lobbied the State to ensure the full implementation in Ireland of international human rights standards and has campaigned for constitutional reform on a range of issues since its foundation.