Planning Committee for Human Rights Day Celebration Seeks Nominations for Awardees

The Tennessee Celebration of Human Rights Day will be December 10^th from 4-6pm in Nashville, Tennessee. The planning committee has just published a request for nominations for the lifetime achievement and rising advocate awards.

Tennesseans are planning to gather on December 10^th to celebrate the ratification of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) by the United Nations, originally signed in 1948. “Human Rights Day gives the community a chance to focus on basic human rights, applicable to everyone,” says planning committee chair Rev. Brian Fesler, pastor of the Church of Scientology of Nashville.

The celebration centers around the Human Rights Lifetime Achievement awards and the Rising Advocate Award.  Last year three lifetime advocates received awards for their work, including the Rev. James "Tex" Thomas, pastor of Jefferson Street Missionary Baptist Church; Elliott Ozment, the founder and managing attorney at Ozment Law; and Carrie Gentry, who was active during the civil rights movement in Nashville. Rising Advocate awards were given to Gatluak Thach with the Nashville International Center for Empowerment and Stephanie Teatro with the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition.

Fesler says that the committee has just opened the floor for nominations for this year’s awardees. Prospective names can be submitted at nashvillehumanrights.org under the tab for nominations.

The event will also have a keynote speaker, various exhibits from human rights organizations, and student artwork depicting the various human rights on display. All information regarding the event can be found at the website nashvillehumanrights.org, and Fesler encouraged anyone interested to visit the website to find out how to get involved.