Underprivileged Children Gathered to Celebrate Global Dignity Day in Islamabad, Pakistan

Global Dignity Day; Underprivileged Children Gathered in Islamabad to Celebrate Human Dignity

The mission of Global Dignity is to implement the universal right of every human being to lead a dignified life. We all have the ability to increase the dignity of others and thus we increase our own dignity. The dignity approach works on all levels: it works for children and for adults, it works for men and for women, and it works on the micro and macro level.

To establish and recognize the right of every human being to lead a dignified life, the third Wednesday of October is celebrated as Global Dignity Day in all parts of the world. Global Dignity Day is a non-profit, non-partisan and non-political initiative taken by the Young Global Leaders of the World Economic Forum. 

In order to educate the children about the concept and importance of human dignity, the children of Mashal Model School and Master Ayub’s Street School joined together to celebrate the Global Dignity Day in Islamabad at the street school of Master Ayub located at Hill Road in F-6/3, organized by Right To Play. 

Mashal Model School is an initiative of Ms. Zeba Hussain, providing education and guidance to the street children in Bari Imam at the periphery of Islamabad. There are over 500 children enrolled at the school who regularly participate in play based learning activities guided by Right To Play’s trained Coach. 

Master Ayub’s school is another groundbreaking initiative to provide education of under-privileged children living in Bastis around F-6. Been recently awarded the Pride of Performance by the Government of Pakistan, Master Ayub is an inspiration in a country where 25 million children are still out of school. He is teaching voluntarily for the past 27 years and thousands of children have received free education from this humble yet legendary initiative.  

At the celebration of Global Dignity, children wrote letters to themselves in which they resolved to work for protecting their personal dignity and that of others. The purpose of celebrating this day is to educate and inspire, children and youth in particular, about the concept and importance of human dignity. Every human being regardless of race, culture or social background has the right to protect his or her dignity. This years’ theme is ‘dignity is every child’s right to go to school’. Right To Play, an international humanitarian organization takes the lead in celebrating Dignity Day in schools in Pakistan in all of its project areas in Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Islamabad. 

Right To Play collaborated with Mr. Amir Jahangir, the country chair for Global Dignity in Pakistan. Jahangir is also a Young Global Leader (YGL) of the World Economic Forum as well and Chief Executive Officer of Mishal Pakistan as well. In his message, Jahangir said, “Dignity is simply defined as, right to a better life is every child’s right; dignity for self and dignity for others is the basic right to every child”. 

“The purpose to commemorate the Global Dignity Day is to sensitize society to respect the dignity of every human. Right To Play endorses the five principles devised by Global Dignity. Right To Play believes that dignity is a human right and we are celebrating this day across Pakistan to aware children to treat themselves and others the importance of dignity”, said Iqbal Jatoi, the Country Manager of Right To Play, Pakistan.

Johann Olav Koss, the 4 times Olympic Gold Medalist and Founder of Right To Play has sent a special message for Global Dignity Day 2014 “Dignity is having the opportunity to fulfill your potential, Dignity is the right to go to school, Its knowing how to protect yourself from disease, It gives you the confidence to say NO, It creates personal boundaries, Its having the freedom to be yourself, to live in peace. All it takes is one child to positively influence your community, because children are the change makers of the world”.

In 10 districts of Sindh and KP and also in Islamabad, more than 40,000 children and youth are participating in Global Dignity sessions which started in Right To Play partner schools from October 13 and will continue till October 18. Right To Play’s leaders and coaches will facilitate sessions on dignity in classrooms and encourage children to share inspiring stories. Lead by the Junior Leaders of Right To Play, the students share dignity principles, perform role-plays and tableaus manifesting the need of human dignity, and also express their thoughts through drawings and songs.

Dignity events are also taking place in Right To Play partner schools in Mardan, Mansehra, Peshawar in KP and Thatta, Umer Kot, Khairpur, Ghotki and Karachi in Sindh and in Islamabad as well, where large number of children, teachers and parents, and civil society members are participating.

Right To Play is the leading international humanitarian and development organization using sport and play as tools to effect behavior and social change. Our trained Coaches and community leaders implement our programs which are designed to develop basic life skills, prevent diseases, teach conflict resolution and instill hope in children affected by war, poverty and disease. Right To Play implements programs in 20 countries in Africa, Asia, the Middle East and South America. Right To Play is currently working with more than 200,000 children in 11 districts of Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in Pakistan. Right To Play has trained over 400 local youth as coaches to work in Right To Play’s partner schools in the country. 

Global Dignity is an independent, non-profit, non-political initiative focused on empowering people with dignity. Established in 2006 by Young Global Leaders; H.R.H. Crown Prince Haakon of Norway, Operation HOPE Founder, Chairman and CEO John Hope Bryant and Professor Pekka Himanen, the initiative inspires respect, self-esteem and tolerance of diversity and promotes the idea that every human being has the universal right to lead a dignified life. Global Dignity has developed a course on dignity, including five dignity principles, which is taught in schools around the world on October 15th – Global Dignity Day. In 2014, students in more than 40 countries will participate in Global Dignity Day.