Students create ‘Poetic Declaration of Human Rights’ for Greater Manchester

Students across Greater Manchester have created and published a Poetic Declaration of Human Rights containing poems inspired by each of the original Articles in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The work was published on Human Rights Day, 10 November, and endorsed by Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, who said:

“Our young people are the future of Greater Manchester, and the building blocks upon which we can continue to make this place a fair, equal, and safe space for our people. I am inspired by their words in this Greater Manchester Poetic Declaration of Human Rights and hope they continue to create positive change across our communities.”

Keisha Thompson, a Manchester based writer, performance artist and producer was one of the judges who compiled the final line up of poems, sent in from students from 12 different schools across GM.

Thompson was also the author of a poem called How to Make an Article 25, included in the collection of poetry curated by Poet Laureate Simon Armitage called A Poetic Declaration, which was created for the Ripples of Hope Festival at HOME in Manchester, held by the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights UK charity in September.

The anthology of poetry created by students celebrating human rights is presented in Greater Manchester by RFK Human Rights UK and Curious Minds.

The two charities are now partnering with cities across the UK (Manchester being the first) to create further Poetic Declarations that highlight the experience of young people in the cities they live in.

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To read online, or download, the Greater Manchester Poetic Declaration of Human rights – click here.

To access A Poetic Declaration, created for the Ripples of Hope Festival – click here.

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Feature image: Composite from Wikipedia Commons (Eleanor Roosevelt with original Declaration) and the Greater Manchester Poetic Declaration of Human Rights (Cover)