Youth Join Forces to Educate About Global Poverty

FLORIDA, November 15, 2009 –It was a day of joining forces to raise awareness through education about global poverty for Youth for Human Rights Florida, as they took part in the Aga Khan Foundation “Partnership in Action Walk”, in Orlando, Florida. The walk not only joined groups together, it brought to light is that over half the world, more than 3 billion people, live on less than $2.50 a day.

Mila Von Dohmain, Vice President Youth for Human Rights Florida, said she thinks the walk is very important because, “Most people would help if they saw someone standing in front of them starving to death, but people in Africa and Asia seem distant to many of us. We need to bring awareness about the need of human rights to everyone in the world.”

“Education – The Universal Bridge” was the theme for the 2009 walk. After the 3K walk around Eola Lake, those who came for the cause took part in Village In Action, called “Global Innovations”, where people were involved in interactive exhibits to experience how the programs of the Aga Khan Foundation are actually making a difference in areas of poverty throughout Asia and Africa.

Even Youth for Human Rights Florida youngest volunteer, Kevin Longoni, age seven, learned the value of giving an education in the Fishing exhibit. It demonstrated that Aga Khan Foundation is not just giving food to the poor, but teaching them how to fish. The interactive exhibit gives the person a chance to “fish” with the message, “Give a man a fish, feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, feed him for a lifetime.”

Youth for Human Rights Florida, inspired by the humanitarian L. Ron Hubbard who stated, "Human rights must be made a fact, not an idealistic dream, promotes the same ideas of human rights by educating others on the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights. And the fishing exhibit is a great example of Human Right #25, Food and Shelter for All, and Human Right #26, The Right to Education.

Youth for Human Rights Florida is a chapter of Youth for Human Rights International, a non-profit, secular organization that educates about the United Nations Universal Declaration for Human Rights, in a variety of activities both in and out of the classroom. For more information on Youth for Human Rights and free DVD downloads on the 30 human rights go: www.youthforhumanrights.org