Sunday, 9th December 2007: Festival of Rights, Central Market

Festival of Rights 2007
‘As I Believe: Freedom of Expression through Art, Music, Culture and Conscience’

Part I: 0730 SOGO Complex – Peoples’ Freedom Walk cancelled
Part II: 0900 Central Market – Festivities and Conversations

Human Rights Day is celebrated worldwide on 10 December every year. The Human Rights Committee continues the celebration of the ‘Day’ by hosting the “Festival of Rights” once again. The theme this year is “As I Believe: Freedom of Expression through Art, Music, Culture and Conscience” showcasing the indivisibility, interdependence and inter-relation of various rights in our daily lives.

The celebration will be in two parts. Part I starts at with the ‘Peoples’ Freedom Walk’ from the SOGO Complex through Dataran Merdeka to Central Market. We will congregate in front of the SOGO Complex at 0700. This Walk is open to everyone who is welcome to bring along banners highlighting human rights issues that they are concerned about.

Part II will be held at the staging area of Central Market. Participants will be served refreshments while enjoying the festivities. Among others, a multi-religious panel will discuss conscience rights in the ‘Conversations’ segment titled “When Faith Meets Law”. We have invited key religious leaders to take part in this session where everyone is encouraged to express their views.

The programme is as follows:

Part I

0800 Walk from SOGO to Central Market through Dataran Merdeka

Part II

0900
Welcome speech by President, Bar Council (Ambiga Sreenevasan)/Chair, Human Rights Committee (Edmund Bon)

0910
“Speechless”: Lip-reading of the UDHR (led by Wong Nyok Mei)

0925
Breakfast and prize-giving ceremony for essay competition 2006 winners (BM and English)

0935
Poetry Reading (Noreen Ariff)

0945
Conversations: “When Faith Meets Law” (multi-religious forum)
– Deputy Director, Jabatan Agama Islam, Perak
– Zaid Kamaruddin, JIM (TBC)
– Bishop Paul Tan, Christian Federation Malaysia
– Datuk A. Vaithilingam, Hindu Sangam
– representatives from Sikh, Taoist and Buddhist communities

(colouring session for children commences)

1100
Cultural performance by the Orang Asli (Pusat Kebudayaan SPNS)

1115
“I wish that ……” session (led by Fadiah Nadwa Fikri)

1130
Stage performances by various artists/activists

• Fahri Azzat & His Soul Brotha (1135 – 1150)
• In Torment (1155 – 1210)
• The Wave (1215 – 1230)
• Lai Chee Hoe (1235 – 1250)
• Amer Hamzah & Cassarrah (1255 – 1310)
• Dr Wan Zawawi (1315 – 1330)
• Couple (1335 – 1350)
• Tina and Dipendra (1355 – 1410)
• KL Legal Aid Centre (1415 – 1430)

1435
Closing speech by President, Bar Council (Ambiga Sreenevasan)/ Chair, Human Rights Committee (Edmund Bon)

We hope that everyone will be able to join us and take part in this celebration. There will also be booths to cater for all ages at Central Market – the kids, the young and the old.

If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact Mr. Rezib Mohamad, at 03-20316367 or rezib malaysianbar org my