#OurRightsOurVoices

Last week, you might’ve noticed several publications on Twitter and Facebook focusing on Human Rights. For a weeklong period, (17^th to 22^nd of October), our two international networks CCIVS and Alliance joined forces with organisations and individuals, planning local events, actions, trainings and volunteering to bring attention to the needs and actions for Human Rights.

Worldwide, and locally, the denial of human rights is a serious obstacle to the fulfilment of peace and human happiness, and as a charity hosting and sending volunteers overseas, we are one of many players in the game needed to take on our role.

We are stronger together. One of the greatest things I believe is coming out from volunteering is that no-one goes away the same. You may arrive as an individual, but you leave the project as part of a group. For a short period in your life, you have come together, formed a coalition of nationalities showing that everyone is ready to do their bits to make this project successful. Last week, this was proven to work the same on an organisational level with great ideas and events were being carried out world-wide.

Our friends in Volunteer actions for Peace organised the seminar “Moving On and Settling Down”, to analyse and learn deeply about the phenomenon of migration, in the past and present. Egyesek Youth Association in Hungary counteracts the hate speech promoting an open society, Solidarités Jeunesses holding a week long Peace Week, INEX - Sdružení dobrovolných aktivit inviting to a workshop on diversity & migration.

Within the movement of volunteering we organise several international volunteer projects, providing a natural habitat for volunteers to meet each other, with the common goal to engage in a well-needed communal project. In Italy, Legambiente Paestum organised a volunteer projects with international volunteers and refugees, working together to protect and recover the highly important ecosystem in the region, the "Dune Oasis". SIW Internationale Vrijwilligersprojecten, Switzerland, had this summer a workshop on human rights and the freedom of movement on all of their projects.

Over the week, eradication of poverty, the rights to food, housing & a life in dignity, the rights to a life in Peace, the rights for Migrants and Refugees, the right to sexual orientation have all been giving their day to highlight what is being done, and what can be done to continue the good work. Our role for the week is to ensure that as many people possible is being reached by the message, the calls, the rights and the actions showing that there is a movement carrying about these rights, that serves as not only guidelines but for RIGHTS to be treated as a human being. The work by individuals and charities are still equally needed this week, and so our work will continue working towards an open society, where the Human Rights are respected globally.