HUMAN RIGHTS AMBASSADORS CELEBRATE HUMAN RIGHTS MONTH 2025
Over the course of March 2025, the human rights ambassadors of the Free State Centre for Human Rights hosted several activities and events in celebration of South Africa’s annual Human Rights Day (21 March).
The East College human rights ambassadors hosted a sip, paint and games afternoon on 14 March 2025. The event aimed to educate and reiterate the significance and history of human rights. A guest speaker started the event with a presentation on the history and importance of Human Rights Day. Thereafter, a game of cahoots was played based on the presentation given by the speaker. After a musical item, the programme closed off with a sip and paint session, where the audience was invited to paint a portrait to express what Human Rights Day means to them.
On 21 March 2025, South College ambassadors hosted a celebratory concert. The concert featured a variety of artistic performances, including music and poetry. West College ambassadors hosted an informative session on Human Rights Day to empower students with the skills and knowledge necessary to thrive in shared living spaces. Through interactive games and a guest speaker, they explored the importance of balancing personal values and rights with respect for others.
Ambassadors of the North College hosted a successful event focused on democracy, featuring a keynote address by Ms Lerato Ditsela, a UFS Faculty of Law staff member. Her insightful presentation highlighted the importance of democratic participation. The event also showcased a captivating performance by the Decorous Voce choir, whose songs resonated with the theme of democracy and human rights. Furthermore, a Human Rights Jar initiative was launched, which encourages members of the college community to identify areas where human rights can be better promoted. Participants received complimentary human rights booklets.
In celebration of Human Rights Day, Houses Charlotte Maxeke and Fulufhelo and Khayelitsha and Khayalethu at the UFS QwaQwa campus hosted a discussion and presentation commemorating the day. This was followed by an interactive poster-making competition.
Additional activities across all three campuses included a social media video campaign and presentations in UFS residences on the meaning of human rights, an online quiz testing the human rights knowledge of UFS staff and students and a visual celebration of different national commemorative holidays.