2008 Woodie Awards
Center couples sport with human rights
Derek Hawkins
Issue date: 5/9/07 Section: Campus Life
|
The students, however, were not attending a social event, but the 17th annual Human Rights Leadership Forum, sponsored by the Center for the Study of Sport in Society (CSSS), a Northeastern-based nonprofit.
The forum, titled "Human Rights in Africa," was the culmination of more than a year's worth of progress the center and its student volunteers made promoting social justice, nonviolence, tolerance and human rights in their communities.
The students, who had participated in Mentors in Violence Prevention and Project Teamwork, CSSS programs that train high school students to address men's violence against women and encourage diversity and tolerance in their communities, were honored as leaders among their peers.
"You've all worked to prevent violence, to promote the acceptance of difference," said Peter Roby, CSSS director and Northeastern interim athletic director, in his opening remarks. "You are the ones making the difference, not only in Boston, but in Massachusetts, the country and the world."
The leadership forum lasted from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m., and included sessions in conflict resolution and human rights, presentations about African culture and society, and an awards ceremony for community service.
But for CSSS, the forum was part of the organization's broader efforts to expand its role in human rights advocacy nationwide and internationally. At a time when many non-profits and non-governmental organizations, like Amnesty International and Oxfam, have fought for human rights, CSSS is distinct in its use of sport to accomplish similar goals.
Under the umbrella of the Violence Prevention and Diversity department, CSSS employees and volunteers have brought human rights to the forefront of their operation through four core programs, Mentors in Violence Prevention, Project Teamwork, Disability in Sport and Athletes for Human Rights, among other services.
In addition to focusing on the broader concerns of human rights, CSSS, which was founded in 1984, also sponsors urban youth sports through several programs, including the Double Dutch League of Massachusetts, which will hold its statewide tournament Saturday at Northeastern.
Eli Wolff, CSSS manager of research and advocacy, has played a leading role in bringing the center to the international arena, and has contributed to an array of projects that combine sport with a human rights policy.
Be the first to comment on this story