Award ceremony recognizing the winners of the National human rights essay competition among high school students “Human rights through the prism of modernity” and National competition of teaching and methodical materials on human rights for teachers will be held at 11 a.m. on December, 22 2016 at the Office of Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights (21/8 Instytutska str., Kyiv).

 The essay competition participants included students of 9-11 grades of secondary schools, specialized schools, gymnasiums, lyceums, vocational schools and colleges.  Among the participants of methodical materials competition were teachers, creative teams of educational institutions, researchers and community activists without educational, teaching experience and age limits.

Both competitions were held in the framework of the USAID Human Rights in Action Project, being implemented by the Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union as a part of Ukraine-wide “We Understand Human Rights” Educational Program under support of Parliamentary Commissioner for Human Rights. The aim of the competitions was to facilitate implementation of the National Human Rights Strategy Sphere of Ukraine and the World Program for Human Rights Education in order to disseminate human rights information, raise interest in current issues in the field of human rights, identify and motivate creatively gifted high school students interested in human rights, develop respect for human dignity in the Ukrainian society.

The winners and laureates are listed on the UHHRU website at the links:

• National human rights essay competition “Human rights through the prism of modernity”
• National human rights “Competition of teaching and methodical materials on human rights”

The following speakers will participate in the event:

• Valeria Lutkovska, Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights
• Arkadiy Bushchenko, Executive Director of the Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union
• John Pennell, Deputy Regional Mission Director, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)
• Aksana Filipishina, Head of the Department for children’s rights, non-discrimination and gender equality at the Ombudsperson’s Secretariat
• Serhiy Burov, Coordinator of the Ukraine-wide “We Understand Human Rights” Educational Program, coordinator of the UHHRU’s educational activity

The American people, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), have provided economic and humanitarian assistance worldwide for 55 years. In Ukraine, USAID’s assistance focuses on three areas: Health and Social Transition, Economic Growth and Democracy and Governance. USAID has provided 1.8 bln. technical and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine since 1992. For additional information about USAID programs in Ukraine, please visit our website: http://ukraine.usaid.gov or our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/USAIDUkraine