Youth Ambassadors Visit Geneva

We were delighted to take 2 Youth Ambassadors from each of the Edmund Rice secondary schools this month to visit the ERI office in Geneva and to the Human Rights Council at the United Nations. We enjoyed an excellent reception from Br Brian Bond, ERI’s director who welcomed us to the ERI office first thing on Monday morning after we had flown into the city on the previous evening. Students and accompanying staff learned more about the establishment of Edmund Rice International, their focus on social justice issues in the countries where our Network has a presence and on the mechanisms of the UN. Later, at the UN building, we has access to the 48th Session of  the Universal Periodic Review process, during which each member state is reviewed by its peers on its human rights record. We attended the review of both El Salvador and Bolivia. ERI had made a submission for the review of Bolivia, as we have a community and ministry there. Our students had studied the report and were glad to hear issues raised by ERI were taken up by some countries who challenged Bolivia on matters such as child labour, access to water and gender discrimination. Being in the Human Rights Council Chamber is truly awe-inspiring for our young people, as is realising the strength and breadth of our Edmund Rice global family and the great opportunities it can offer them. Students greatly enjoyed the whole experience; making friends from their fellow ER schools, touring Geneva and visiting the Red Cross museum as well as learning about international Human Rights processes. We look forward to their input at our next online ERI Partner Schools Global Meet when the group will present to all the other Youth Ambassadors on their experiences and to hearing about how they will cascade their learning into their schools.