TORONTO AREA HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS GO ALL OUT AGAINST HATE

Youth Leaders to Mark Human Rights Day at B’nai Brith Canada Conference

Toronto, December 9, 2002

For Immediate Release

Toronto, December 9, 2002… Over 100 York Region and Toronto high school students from a variety of different religious and ethnic backgrounds, as well as 30 staff members, will attend a youth conference designed to counter prejudice and discrimination in the school setting. This conference has been specially adapted from the Taking Action Against Hate program developed by B’nai Brith’s League for Human Rights, which is currently being implemented across the country with the assistance of the Department of Canadian Heritage.

Students will interact with experts from the educational, legal and law enforcement sectors, including Keith Norton, the Ontario Human Rights Commissioner. They will brainstorm how to deal with actual and everyday test case scenarios that face youngsters in schools, and bring back to their fellow students concrete plans for how to fight prejudice and build tolerance and respect for human rights among young Canadians.

This conference was made possible by funding from the Community Mobilization Program of the National Crime Prevention Centre and the B’nai Brith Foundation, with the goal of providing important training for both students and school staff who face many challenges in maintaining safe and respectful schools.

DATE: Tuesday, December 10^th, 2002

TIME: 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

PLACE: B’nai Brith National Office
15 Hove Street (1 block west of Bathurst, 1 block north of Sheppard)
Toronto, Ontario M3H 4Y8

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For further information please contact Ruth Klein, National Director, League for Human Rights at (416) 346-0114

B’nai Brith has been active in Canada since 1875 as the community’s foremost advocacy and volunteer organization.