Lawrence Jaffe Named Poet Laureate for Youth for Human Rights International

Sept. 23, 2007 - PRLog -- "Tell the world about the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and make everyone you know aware of them. Get these rights taught to our children so they know their birthright," says Youth for Human Rights International's new Poet Laureate*, Larry Jaffe.

Mary Shuttleworth, President of Youth for Human Rights said the following regarding Jaffe’s appointment:  “For his entire professional career Larry Jaffe has been using his art to promote human rights.  He is a distinguished poet who prides himself on his community involvement and care.”

Passionate about his purpose, Jaffe said, "Every day I read about various human rights violations and in my heart I know we can make a better world. It is my great hope that we as poets lead the way to a new and better civilization."  His poem OWNED has been adopted as the official poem on human slave trafficking.                      

Jaffe served as International Readings Coordinator for the UNESCO Dialogue among Civilizations through Poetry Project from 2001 to 2004, a project that incorporated hundreds of readings in hundreds of cities globally. Earlier this year, as an official Ambassador for Youth for Human Rights International, he toured the Czech Republic and Slovakia to promote his poetry and human rights work. Jaffe brought his message of human rights to a variety of venues including the Jewish Museum and the Museum of Literature in Prague. “Larry's dynamic work integrates a strong sense of humor along with his tough stand on human rights and freedom,” said Ms. Shuttleworth.

He was recently awarded the coveted Lifetime of Creativity Award at the 2007 Saint Hill Arts Festival.  Executive producer Sheila Gaiman presented the award "Each year an artist is chosen who uses their art to help their town, country, or the world. Larry is the first artist selected to be working for the safety of the entire planet and we very much want to encourage this and are very proud of his work.”

Jaffe is the former poet-in-residence at the Autry Museum of Western Heritage and co-founder of Poets for Human Rights, an international coalition of poets and human rights advocates (www.poetsforhumanrights.org), "The purpose of Poets for Human Rights is to remove the veil obscuring human rights violations on this planet, and brightly shine the light of truth on the perpetrators for the world to see. It is the nature of poets to lead the way for humanity and we will break the bonds of slavery and abuse wherever they may be with our observations and words," said Jaffe. Poets for Human Rights chapters are now found internationally.  

To all human rights supporters, Jaffe states, "The doctrine from which we operate, if you will, is the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights written in 1948. This document defines human rights as it should be. It is a shame that close to 60 years have gone by and there are still so many human rights violations in this world.  It is time to do something about it!" Jaffe also notes, "Youth for Human Rights have produced a series
of Public Service Announcements for each of the points of the UDHR (Universal Declaration for Human Rights).  They are absolutely incredible." (www.youthforhumanrights.org)

For more information about Larry Jaffe, visit
http://ww.lgjaffe.com and http://www.myspace.com/larryjaffe.

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Youth for Human Rights International
1954 Hillhurst #416, Los Angeles, CA 90027
Phone: 323-663-5799 Fax: 323-661-1194
www.YouthForHumanRights.org   info@YouthForHumanRights.org

*Poet Laureate (American Heritage Dictionary)

1.   A poet appointed for life by a British monarch as a member of the royal household and expected to write poems celebrating occasions of national importance and honoring the royal family.

2.   A poet appointed to a similar honorary position or honored for artistic excellence.

3.   A poet acclaimed as the most excellent or most representative of a locality or group.

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About Youth for Human Rights International (YHRI):  is a program of the International Foundation for Human Rights and Tolerance, an independent non-profit corporation headquartered in Los Angeles, with the purpose to educate people in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights so they become valuable advocates for tolerance and peace.

Website: www.lgjaffe.com