The Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Harare will this year mark Human Rights Day and the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights through a unique five-day film and live music tour to five suburbs in Harare and Chitungwiza.
To promote wider awareness on issues surrounding human rights, from 11th – 15th December, the Embassy will screen the comedy ‘A Goat for a Vote’ in Mabvuku, Hatcliffe, Epworth, St Mary’s and Seke.
Starting at Zimunhu Shopping Centre on 11 December, the screenings and musical performances will then move to Hatcliffe Shopping Centre on 12 December, Chigovanyika Shopping Centre in St Mary’s (Chitungwiza) on 13 December, Ziko Shopping Centre in Seke on 14 December and will end at Overspill Shopping Centre in Epworth on 15 December.
The activities will run from 6pm until 9pm at each venue on the designated days. ‘A Goat for a Vote’ was produced in Kenya in 2013, and the story takes a comic look at the conduct of an election of student representatives at a school. Mirroring many themes common around the world, the film invites viewers to think about their own situations and actions.
A host of top local artists (including Winky D, Jah Signal, Killer T, Freeman as well as the Female DJ Movement will also be performing at the screenings to support the message around human rights awareness through music. The activities will be open to all members of the public and free of charge. Besides being a general expression and celebration of the best elements of humanity, Art is a form of a lingua franca through which matters of social importance can be expressed. This makes the activities in the forthcoming ‘Human Rights Week’ both a celebration of humanity and an encouragement towards conversation pertaining to the promotion of that humanity through human rights.
Human Rights Day is marked every year on December 10. According to the Office of the United Nations Human Rights High Commissioner, December 10 “commemorates the day in 1948 the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.” Marked in various ways globally, the Day’s commemorations aim to draw attention to the standards towards which all societies must strive in the treatment of fellow citizens.
The Netherlands Embassy in Harare has a long history of promoting human rights in Zimbabwe. Amongst many year-long efforts, the Embassy also champions gender equality and the drive against Gender-Based Violence (GBV) as recently seen in the on-going 16 Days of Activism Against GBV.
“The Right Stuff” Human Rights Week activities will be rolled out in a partnership between the Royal Netherlands Embassy and the Harare International Festival of the Arts (HIFA).