Joined action by the Vietnam Path Movement, Network of Vietnamese Bloggers and Dan Luan to Launch Video-Clip Making Contest “Human Rights and I – 2013”

To welcome the International Human Rights Day of 2013 and to celebrate the 65th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights launched by United Nation on the 10 of December 1948, the Vietnam Path Movement along with Network of Vietnamese Bloggers and Dan Luan news site will join forces to kick start a video clip making contest named “Quyền Con Người và Tôi 2013” (Human Rights and I – 2013). The contest will have attractive prizes and carry a theme in the form of a question, “What is your understanding about equality?” 
This is the second time this event is organized. The first contest was launched toward the end of 2012 in the form of an essay-writing contest named “Quyền Con Người và Tôi” (Human Rights and I) which addressed the question “What are Human Rights?” Last year’s contest attracted a good number of young people to join and helped create an increase in concerns among Vietnamese citizens toward human rights. Many activities have spawned in 2013 aimed to educate people about human rights and to encourage them to ask that their rights will be respected. Among these actives are the Human Rights picnics took place on 5/5/13, the distribution of Human Rights balloons in Nha Trang at the end of May 2013, and the Declaration against Article 258 on 7/18/13. This is a promising trend on which the “Human Rights and I 2013” contest is organized. 
In the past recent days, public opinion is particularly interested in Vietnam for the first time became an official member of the UN Human Rights Council on 11/12/13. From the government’s perspective, this is a great success in foreign relations and is an ideal chance for Vietnam to join the task to advocate and protect human rights at an international level. However, the Vietnam Path Movement believe that making human rights truly be guaranteed and respected on top of all else in Vietnam should be the first goal for the government on their admission to Human Right Council. Therefore, to help the government of Vietnam to materialize their commitment to “maintain the government’s highest standard in promote and protect human rights”, we hope to widely introduce the “Human Rights and I 2013” contest to all youth in the country through online activities as well as in daily living. This will be a chance to encourage the people to learn and discuss about Human Rights so that they can respect and protect these universal values. 
The “Equality” theme in the contest this year was chosen because it is the foundation of human rights. The more people understand it, the more they will see clearly that only on the basis each individual is treated equally people can devote all their strength to benefit themselves, for the community, and for society. Nelson Mandela has once said, “Social equality is the only basis of human happiness”. Although the subject of equality has been raised in the Declaration of Independence of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRVN) over 70 years go, Vietnam today still face multiple threats of social inequalities ranging from family and school to workplace and political system. Many people are subject to disadvantage social situations for not having enough advantage and connections compare to interest groups who are abusing their special privileges to manipulate society. 
We hope that through this contest, the vulnerable ones without advantage and connections will have the opportunity to express their hope and propose schemes to resolve inequality problems they encountered. We, the Vietnam Path Movement, worry if we as a collective whole do not focus on solving the elevating number of problems of inequality and contradictions in society, Vietnam may face the risk of crisis leading to crumbling society and dissolve in violence. 
Through this completion, the Vietnam Path Movement and the Network of Vietnamese Bloggers wants to expand our connection and collaboration with other individuals, working groups, and civil groups who share the goal of promoting Human Rights. We also hope to receive supports and encouragements from the government of Vietnam toward these beneficial activities. 
The video clips submitted will be posted publicly on the Vietnam Path Movement, Network of Vietnamese Bloggers and Dan Luan. Entries with quality will be used as documentation in the guide and teaching programs of Vietnam Path Movement and Network of Vietnamese Bloggers, which will launch in the near future. 
Please visit the Vietnam Path Movement website at conduongvietnam.org or Facebook fangpage at facebook.com/quyenconnguoi, Network of Vietnamese Bloggers at mangluoiblogger.blogspot.com, and Dan Luan at danluan.org for more detailed information about the contest. You can also email to [email protected] to have your questions answered. 
On behalf of the contest Organizing Committee
Nguyen Cong Huan