Human Rights Week Celebration Concludes at MSU-IIT

Today, 9th of December – is the last day of a week-long pursuit of the 2022 Human Rights Celebration in commemoration of the 75th Anniversary with the adoption of the United Nations General Assembly of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) ,which started the launching of “Pagtipig: A Photo-Narrative Exhibit Illustrating Human Rights in the Context of Mindanao.”

This event is co-organized with the Center for Human Rights Education in Southern Philippines, MSU-IIT Department of History and its Public History Track students, MSU-IIT Center for Culture and Arts, and the Office of the City Councilor, Nhicolle Capangpangan of LGU-Iligan, with the theme, “Dignity, Freedom, and Justice for All.”

Taking inspiration from UNESCO’s 1949 Human Rights Exhibition, this photo-narrative exhibit aims to visualize human rights in the context of Mindanao. The exhibition features various photographs from within the Mindanao context, illustrating the enjoyment and deprivation of our most cherished rights and freedom through a thematic sequence.

With the exhibition’s title, “Pagtipig”, denotes “preserving, safekeeping, and to guard well”. This aims to communicate the importance of how we can preserve and safeguard our shared memories, past, and history through photographs. Visual images are extremely important in the dissemination of ideas. It is a powerful tool for defining, questioning, and arguing for human rights.

Remembering the hardships and sacrifices of those who fought for the rights we now have, and educating everyone on the value of human rights is engraved in our identity that speaks “Mindanaoan”. The celebration of Human Rights Day allows people to recognize the significance of human rights and serves as an opportunity to reflect on how far humanity has progressed.