Malaysia: The Festival of Rights 2007!

Human Rights Day is celebrated worldwide on 10 December every year. The Bar Council’s Human Rights Committee continues the celebration of the ‘Day’ by hosting the “Festival of Rights” once again.

The theme this year is “As I Believe: Freedom of Expression through Art, Music, Culture and Conscience” showcasing the indivisibility, interdependence and inter-relation of various rights in our daily lives.

The celebration will be in two parts:

(1) Part I starts at with the ‘Peoples’ Freedom Walk’ from the SOGO Complex through Dataran Merdeka to Central Market. We will congregate in front of the SOGO Complex at 0700. This Walk is open to everyone who is welcome to bring along banners highlighting human rights issues that they are concerned about.

(2) Part II will be held at the staging area of Central Market. Participants will be served refreshments while enjoying the festivities. Among others, a multi-religious panel will discuss conscience rights in the ‘Conversations’ segment titled “When Faith Meets Law”. We have invited key religious leaders from the major faiths (Islam, Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism and Taoism) to take part in this session where everyone is encouraged to express their views.

Further, we will be treated to performances by some of our ‘home-grown’ artists/activists such as Fahri Azzat, Noreen Ariff, Syamsuriatina Ishak, Lai Chee Hoe, Dipendra Harshad Rai, Dr Wan Zawawi, Amir Muhammad and bands, ‘Cassarrah’ and ‘The Wave’. There will also be surprise guest appearances!

To recap, the programme is as follows:

0700 Congregate in front of SOGO Complex
0730 Short briefing on the Peoples’ Freedom Walk
0800 Walk from SOGO to Central Market through Dataran Merdeka
0900 Welcome speech by Chair, Human Rights Committee
0910 Breakfast
0920 Poetry Reading
0935 Conversations: “When Faith Meets Law”
(colouring session for children commences)
1145 Cultural performance by the Orang Asli (Kumpulan Kebudayaan SPNS)
1215 “I wish that ……” session
1245 Stage performances by various artists/activists
1400 Closing speech by President, Bar Council

We hope that everyone will be able to join us and take part in this celebration. There will also be booths to cater for all ages at Central Market - the kids, the young and the old.

Please email rezib@malaysianbar.org.my by 23 November 2007 if you shall be participating in order that we may make the necessary arrangements.