By Anne-Marie McHugh, Sustainability Coordinator

St George's students proudly support human rights through the Amnesty International Youth Club and this year, they are again supporting Amnesty International’s Write for Rights campaign. In support of this work, the school theme for January and February is “Human Rights” with the student group running assemblies for all Secondary students, explaining the work of Amnesty and how students can take action to support human rights around the world.

Working closely with Amnesty International Luxembourg, the student Amnesty International Youth Club organises events and resources for the campaign. In December, they hosted a pizza lunch to encourage student involvement, resulting in over 50 handwritten letters written in support of people facing injustice. The group also sold Amnesty candles at the Christmas Fayre, raising over €200 for the cause.

This year’s Write for Rights campaign focuses on individuals who are being treated unjustly for peacefully standing up for human rights. Students wrote letters on behalf of:

• Unecebo Damisoa, a young activist from Madagascar who speaks out for communities displaced by severe droughts linked to climate change. Instead of receiving support, he faces harassment and unjust charges for defending access to basic needs such as food, clean water, and healthcare.
• Soria Dahmani, a student who has been targeted by authorities simply for expressing her views peacefully. Her case highlights the importance of freedom of expression and the risks young people can face for speaking out.
• Juan López, a community defender working to protect land and the environment in his country. He has faced threats and intimidation for defending the rights of local communities and standing up against environmental exploitation.

Using resources from Amnesty International, students crafted powerful messages of solidarity. Their energy and commitment were inspiring, with staff and students from Years 9 to 13 coming together to stand up for human rights and show how small actions can make a real difference.