Preparing the 2nd peace talk concert, searching and reading many articles, laws, and studying programs of other organization helped us. Among them, I want to share about laws and a book 'Enough Blood Shed.'
On this post, you can find an effort of organizations and countries through establishing laws.
Effort to protect Human Rights
First one is so basic and fundamental one, UN human rights declaration. The general assembly proclaims the universal declaration of human rights:
Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. Furthermore, no distinction shall be made on the basis of the political, jurisdictional or international status of the country or territory to which a person belongs, whether it be independent, trust, non-self-governing or under any other limitation of sovereignty. (Article 2)
Feel sorry for that they did not utter disablity in article 2, but the enactment of this laws made many people think about human rights. I learned this since childhood in school. However, reading again this time, I really appreciated of UN and many organizations' effort to establish freedoms and peace in the world. The rule of law can change many things and protect the rights of human.
Rised Awareness through Correcting Color Name
Reformation of laws often diverts our thoughts.
What name is this color in your country? In Korea, about 10 years ago, its name is '살색', which means 'skin color.'
The Korean Agency for the Technology and Standards (KATS) had defined the certain color as "skin color" in the Korean Industrial Standard. Revision for this color was started on November, 2001, by 4 foreigners and the Reverend Hae-song Kim, of the Seong-Nam House for Foreign Workers. They filed a petition to the National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK) against KATS and three other crayon manufacturing companies.
The NHRC recommended KATS to revise the name of color in Korean Industrial Standard. The NHRC maintains that the terminology may be appropriate for those with East-Asian origins, the terminology violates the right of equality of other races and spreads misconceptions of race and skin color. Finally, the name of color is changed into '연주황 (light orange)' in November, 2002.
However, it was not the end. the name was changed one more time by 6 childeren. I translated the '연주황' as 'light orange' so you maybe may not feel it's not difficult, but '연주황(軟朱黃)' comes from Chinese character and it's difficult for Korean childeren to understand (Many Korean language words come from Chinese, but they are usually vocabularies for more advanced level.) 6 children submitted petition, which declared that it was another discrimination to children who have difficult understanding, to NHRCK.
So, now this color name is 살구색 (Apricot.)
Of course, when I was young, I recognized and called the color 'skin color' but after a few years later, in my highschool, through learning and campaigns, I learned the name of color is not that. This shift of thinking is started from a few of people who focused on what wrong is on laws and tradition (the labeling 'skin color' began in 1967) and they required the reformation of laws. Then, it influences people's thought and even crayon companies because it has force.
*Reference:
National Human Rights Commission of Korea. (2002). Skin Color Crayons Promote Discrimination. NHRCK Press. Retrieved from http://www.humanrights.go.kr/english/activities/view_01.jsp
Make the World Move and Create Laws Together
We are also going to create the laws in activity time on the 2nd Peace talk concert.
First, we will talk and share our thoughts and experiences about discrimination and equality. Then, we will make promise and want to establish laws for our community.
It doesn't look serious because we are not a member of UN? But as you see in above case, small steps and real action will make a big change. So, now we start to move.
MANNAM Volunteer Association hopes to establish world peace together.
Why not you?
Let's Talk, Share and Express together !
