Afropop Worldwide is proud to celebrate the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) & its 60th anniversary!  The Declaration is a powerful global statement created in the aftermath of World War II.  Striving to clearly define the basic rights inherent to all of us, the document represents a poignant vow to universally protect those rights and to unify the world.   The first article states: "All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood."  

December 10th is Human Rights Day, so Afropop Worldwide, in collaboration with Amnesty International, LinkTV Television Without Borders, have taken a serious look at the landmark document and the complex issues it addresses.   We see the importance of the milestone through the stories of muscians whose music embodies the spirit of document.  The artists include poetess Angelique Kidjo, the protestor El Hadj N`Diaye, the rising star Emmanuel Jal, the philosopher K’Naan, and the social activist Michael Franti

We encourage you to read the full Universal Declaration of Human Rights text which can be done by clicking here.  You can read more about the document at the Official UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights Home Page

Make sure to tune in to the new episode "Afropop Artists Celebrate Human Rights: The UN Declaration At 60" which will air on many stations this weekend.  In New York, tune in to Radio New York 91.5FM at 11PM on Saturday, December 06.  It is a powerful show brimming with dynamic music and inspiring words from five truly original artists.

In addition, Amnesty International has produced some brilliant videos illustrating the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.  Be sure to check out the collection at the bottom of the feature. 

The Price of Silence, which can be seen directly below, is a powerful statement brought to you by the folks at Link TV.  Artists, social activists, and refugees are brought together on one stage, each adding their unique input to create one message: actions speak louder than words.  Oh yeah, and the music is great.   





 
Angelique Kidjo
"You know what, what I always hear from my grandmother, because one of my grandmothers was the first millionaires in Benin, she made lots of money, she was one of the wealthiest, and one day she told me, if I was to ask God to change my life today, for me to start over, I would choose people. Love of people and understanding of people over money.  Because at the end of my life, I’m most of the time alone, no one to talk to, my money is sitting somewhere not talking to me.  And today we are reaching the limit of greed, when we are greedy and we don’t know when to stop, the greed [is] like the violence and the tornado that will sweep you up..."  Artist Site




El Hadj N'Diaye
"For human rights to be a reality I think that there needs to be greater social equality. Images that we often see in the west present Africa as if it were poor, but I always say that Africa is not poor, we are in rags but sitting on mines of gold and diamonds" Artist Site










Emmanuel Jal
"I was born in a war torn Sudan, and life since the day I was born during that time, I haven’t experienced peace.  I haven’t had the chance to play like other kids, the chance to enjoy the life and beauty of the nature because the peace was ripped in my home.  So I was displaced and I ended up in Ethiopia.  When I reached Ethiopia, because my mom was displaced and she died in one of the village attacks and my brothers and sisters scattered and I’ve seen the violence that happened, I agreed to be trained to be a child soldier. When I was trained, I wanted revenge for my family, but luckily, in a way, I got rescued by a British aid worker called Emma McCune.  She smuggled me into Kenya, from there I started my life. And I became a musician..." Artist Site




K'Naan
"We played in a place called Heidelberg in Germany, it was a big concert.  You know, this older woman who had people around her, she was well off, you could tell.  She came and she was really moved.  She found a way to get backstage.  She wanted to return a diamond to me  because I had done a song that night called “Blood on the Ground” which is about the diamond trade.  And so, she had brought this massive diamond back to me and she said her family is from old money and had spent a lot of time in Africa in the 1800s.  Of course I didn’t take it.  I told her it was incredible that she wanted to return it and that is probably noble enough and liberating enough but there isn’t a particular African you can give back diamonds to."  Artist Site




Micahel Franti
"That’s what I think is really the goddess of music’s power...that ability to transform.  For example, when I’m playing music on the street in Bahgdad.  I come walking into this community and I’m an American.  I’m the first American they’ve seen who wasn’t holding a rifle you know.  And then I start to sing a song and suddenly the faces change from “who is this guy” to now we’re clapping, dancing and singing. So people are transformed."
Artist Site



Above interviews produced by LinkTV Television Without Borders for Amnesty International's celebration of the 60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

"It is difficult to imagine today just what a fundamental shift the Universal Declaration of Human Rights represented when it was adopted sixty years ago.  In a post-war world scarred by the Holocaust, divided by colonialism and wracked by inequality, a charter setting out the first global and solemn commitment to the inherent dignity and equality of all human beings, regardless of colour, creed or origin, was a bold and daring undertaking."

High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour