Feature: Sport and Human Rights
No.48
September 2006
 
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Profile - Athletes for Human Rights

The Center for the Study of Sport in Society at Northeastern University has developed the Athletes for Human Rights program through its offices in Boston, Massachusetts. The mission of Athletes for Human Rights is to research, educate and advocate human rights in and through sport, focusing on the role of athletes and sport to impact social change locally, nationally and globally.
The vision of Athletes for Human Rights is for the world community to recognize athletes as leaders for social change and sport as a vehicle for promoting human rights. The world community will also value the contributions of athletes and sport in advancing equality and human rights.
"Athletes for Human Rights will be a vehicle for empowering, valuing and respecting the role of athletes and sport in the promotion of human rights and social change," said Peter Roby, director of Sport in Society.
Athletes for Human Rights creates a space for the sporting world to deliberately connect the arena of sport with global affairs. Athletes interested in promoting human rights are offered support and tools to enable them to make a difference through the Athletes for Human Rights program. Athletes and sports leaders will now have a place to learn and understand the potential positive impact of embracing human rights in and through sport. The human rights framework allows athletes across various backgrounds and borders to come together to support and embrace each other.
In February 2006 the School for Human Rights (SHR) and Human Rights Education Associates (HREA) partnered with Sport in Society to host the School for Human Rights (SHR) Olympics focusing on sport and human rights at the school in Brooklyn, New York. The three-day event promoted Olympism as the human rights and social justice philosophy of the Olympic Movement.
"HREA's work at the School for Human Rights is making the human rights framework relevant to all students. Sport in Society helped to develop a new way of presenting Human Rights to students-through sport," said Jessamyn Waldman, HREA program associate and representative at SHR.

Contact:
Athletes for Human Rights
Center for the Study of Sport in Society
Northeastern University
716 Columbus Ave., Suite 161
Boston, MA 02120
Phone: 617-373-4025
Fax: 617-373-4566
Email: sportinsociety@neu.edu
Website: http://www.sportinsociety.org




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