UCLan to mark 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights with special event
North West MEP and Burnley councillor Wajid Khan will attend a special event in Burnley to mark the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Wajid, who sits on the Human Rights Committee in the European Union Parliament, will speak at the University of Central Lancashire’s (UCLan) Burnley campus on the 10 December to open up discussion about what it means to have human rights and what people’s perceptions are of them.
Wajid, who has sat on Burnley Borough Council for 11 years before being elected to serve as an MEP in 2017, said: “Human rights might seem an abstract concept but it’s about helping people. Whether we are talking about someone in Burnley who has the right to a fair trial, or a child in a Yemen who has the right to education, when human rights are protected we all benefit. Lately it seems that human rights are under more pressure than ever. I am really looking forward to speaking at UCLan about this essential topic.”
The event, at UCLan’s Victoria Mill Campus in Burnley, has been organised by UCLan community leadership student Elaine Hutchison. Elaine, who lives in Rossendale, is passionate about raising awareness of human rights and exploring people’s attitudes towards them.
"Whether we are talking about someone in Burnley who has the right to a fair trial, or a child in a Yemen who has the right to education, when human rights are protected we all benefit."
The 46-year-old said: “The event isn’t about just listening to a speaker, we want the audience to play a big part in it and share their opinions. People have differing views on what it means to have human rights and who should be entitled to them, so I wanted to mark this 70th anniversary milestone with an important discussion around it.”
The event will run 12noon – 2.00pm in room 004 at the Victoria Mill Campus, Trafalgar Street, Burnley. The event is free and refreshments will be provided. People are asked to register interest in attending via Eventbrite. For more information contact Elaine Hutchison by email.
