Vaiala Beach Student wins Global Award - March 2016

Recently we received some very exciting news straight from the United Nations in Geneva.  One of our students has come first in the world in a global competition. 

Read more from the United nations press release...

The UN Human Rights Office has today announced the two winners of a poster contest for children to illustrate what freedom means to them. 

The competition is part of a year-long campaign by the Office to mark the 50th anniversary of two core human rights treaties, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.   

Alexandria's winning entry.

Alexandria Slaven, 11, from Samoa is the winner of the 5 to 11 age group with a picture depicting people holding hands and standing by a luxuriant coconut tree. “My poster illustrates how freedom comes with responsibilities and children and adults should understand this,” Alexandria wrote to explain the design. “The growing coconut tree with various rights and freedoms written on it symbolizes the growth of a person.”

Winner of the 12-18 age group is 15-year-old Eiza Abid from Pakistan, whose illustration uses both dark tones and bright colours to represent freedom of thought. “My painting personifies the darkness and confinement within a person’s life and once the person is set free from the pressures and judgement of others, one can freely express their thoughts and imagination in their true colors, illustrating their unique vision and bright outlook,” Eiza wrote.

Alexandria and Eiza’s designs, which will be made into posters for use during the campaign, were selected from the winners of local UN competitions organized in seven countries - Armenia, Burundi, Fiji, Madagascar, Pakistan, Samoa and Tunisia. All the winning entries can be viewed online at the campaign website: http://2covenants.ohchr.org/poster-gallery.html

“It is so important to have children celebrating the 50th anniversary of the human rights Covenants through this poster competition,” said Fabian Salvioli, Chair of the Human Rights Committee which monitors how States parties are implementing the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.  “For the Covenants to continue to have meaning over the next 50 years, children must be aware of their rights and the importance of the Covenants to their lives and happiness,” he said.

“I am impressed by the dedication and resourcefulness of the winners and the quality of the posters that they submitted for the competition celebrating the 50th anniversary of the human rights Covenants,” said Waleed Sadi, Chair of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights which monitors States parties’ implementation of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.  “The Covenants are more than legal treaties - they have meaning and significance for all peoples and day-to-day life.  By turning rights into pictures, this would help us understand and appreciate even more the Covenants and their relevance to all. Our thanks and congratulations to everyone who took part,” said Mr Sadi.

Well done Alexia, on behalf of all the students and staff at Vaiala Beach School we are very proud of your achievement.