“we must start a new paradigm, a new way of thinking….instead of the United
In 1948, three years after the end of the Second World War, the U.N. General Assembly declared that respect for human rights and human dignity is “the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world,” and adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Two years later, the Assembly suggested its founding nations observe December 10 as Human Rights Day, and invited all states and interested organizations to celebrate the day as they saw fit.
Since then, many governmental and civil organizations active in the human rights field around the world schedule special events to commemorate Human Rights Day.
One such event took place in Vancouver on Saturday, where a group of eminent human rights defenders participated in a forum that touched on issues in some of the world’s worst human rights hotspots. Host Apaak Clement, founder of Canadian Students for Darfur, opened the forum with his definition of freedom: “The divine right to live and develop your talents, skills and abilities, without fear of discrimination, intimidation, oppression and death.” 
Held at Simon Fraser University, there were six panelists, of whom the keynote speaker was former cabinet minister Hon. David Kilgour. Kilgour works on such human rights issues as the genocide in Darfur and the persecution of Falun Gong in China.
Nazanin Afshin-Jam focused mostly on the “deplorable” state of human rights in Iran where executions are skyrocketing. In an effort to bring an end to executions of minors in the world, Afshin-Jam co-founded a campaign called Stop Child Executions. There are 89 minors on death row in Iran.
She said “we must start a new paradigm, a new way of thinking” in the quest to improve human rights.
Instead of the United 