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Artists
for Human Rights (AFHR) was formed with the purpose of bringing artists
together with the common cause of raising awareness of human rights around
the world while providing a voice to those artists who have been
suppressed due to governmental, religious or cultural oppression.
In 1948 the United Nations adopted the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights with 190 countries ratifying and ascribing to
this declaration. This document delineates 30 basic articles of universal
human rights (see page 2). The startling fact is that most people have not
had the opportunity or benefit of even seeing these rights clearly laid
out. You can't defend what you do not know.
While artists are often the first-line target
when human rights are curtailed, they also have the ability to influence
and change viewpoints on a large scale through their stories, dance, music
and pictures. They have the power to enlighten and elevate an entire
culture, bringing sanity and tolerance to a troubled world.
Artists for Human Rights was formed as non profit
organization by artists who have taken up this responsibility and the
challenge to make a difference, to increase human rights awareness and to
provide a voice for those oppressed artists who are being silenced. |
Founded
by the celebrated Academy Award nominated film actress and human rights
advocate, Anne Archer, Artists for Human Rights invites artists from all
disciplines to contribute. Participation is broad-based, embracive of all
races, creeds and nationalities with its only prerequisite - support and
affirmation of the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights. Working
Board members are exactly that - working board members. Not in name only,
Working Board members attend meetings, take on projects, bring their own
creative genius to the cause for human rights.
Maintaining its goals and mission statement,
Artists for Human Rights works inclusively with allied organizations to
bring the full force of artistic expression to bear in the human rights
arena. What many do not know about AFHR Founder Anne Archer is that she
has tirelessly and unceremoniously fought for human rights across the
globe for nearly two decades. She has led religious tolerance movements in
Germany, France, the United States, Spain and Africa. She has, with other
artists, led protest marches in uneven streets, testified to Congress, met
quietly and openly with State Department officials around the world -
always bringing her creativity and passion to the fight.
More recently, Anne has been an instrumental
force for Youth for Human Rights International which has over 25 chapters
around the world promoting human rights in schools, orphanages, colleges -
all on numerous continents - as well as Youth Summits and film festivals
in concert with UNICEF and the United Nations. |
| Artists
for Human Rights will co-produce a three day celebration of human rights
at the United Nations in New York City. The festivities will kick off on
Thursday, August 24th with an art exhibit featuring works from artists
around the world who, due to human rights oppression and censorship, have
not had a forum or stage to present their art. In addition to the
conference and meetings at the U.N., the celebration will culminate with a
free, live, open-air concert in New York's famed Bryant Park on Saturday
August 26th featuring a number of world class performers. |
| For more information, visit
them online at www.artistsforhumanrights.org. |
Hurricane Katrina
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Recently, Anne was in
Louisiana, visiting a number of shelters visiting with the
evacuees, listening to their stories, helping them to connect with
their families, and assisted them in any way she could.
 Anne also
organized for 2,000 children's booklets called The Way to Happiness
Activity book to be printed and delivered to all the children in this
area of Louisiana. This booklet is a non religious common sense booklet
that has basic precepts on living that lead to a happier life. It has
been distributed in places of disaster or conflict around the world and
has always created a calming effect bringing hope for the future to
those who read and apply it.
After visiting Hurricane Katrina evacuees in
Abbeville on Monday, Anne Archer said she wished the country could see
the positive work going on in communities across the region.
"It's nice to see some of the smaller
centers giving people more personal attention," she said. She
also said she hopes the rest of the country can see the positive actions
being taken by communities to help Katrina evacuees. "They need to
see what's working and learn from it," she said. "Showing
things like this shows that there's hope. Seeing just the disaster angle
brings the whole country down."
Anne, who is a volunteer minister with the
Church of Scientology, toured the shelter at the Vermilion Parish Boys
and Girls Club, meeting with evacuees from the New Orleans area and
fellow Scientology volunteers. Anne also visited
shelters in Baton Rouge on Sunday, but said she enjoyed seeing some of
the smaller shelters in local towns.
The shelter at the Boys and Girls Club was
established by members of the Church of Scientology Disaster Response
Team, which has helped more than 61 evacuees find semi-permanent
housing. Marie Pace, a member of the Church of Scientology who
coordinated Archer's visit, said the cooperation between smaller towns
has helped make a big difference for evacuees. "The community
in Abbeville and the surrounding towns have tremendously big
hearts," she said. "The residents of Vermilion Parish have the
biggest hearts in Acadiana and truly know the meaning of help."
If you would like to help support Anne and
the work of the Church of Scientology, please visit: www.volunteerministers.org
or call their toll-free number (800) 435-7498.
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Community,
Social Betterment
& Human Rights Work
Anne became increasingly concerned with the plight of youth in today's world
while bringing up her own children. After visiting the first World Literacy
Crusade project in Compton, California in 1992, she saw firsthand the phenomenal
results achieved through the use of L. Ron Hubbard's Study Technology among
inner-city youth and homeless men.
She concluded that the real solution
to handling the problem of crime and drugs among our young is to handle
illiteracy. “Literacy leads to self esteem and hope for one’s future.” She
became a spokesperson for Study Technology and Applied Scholastics, traveling to
Washington, D.C. to bring more awareness to the nation's leaders.
Anne with her husband Terry Jastrow,
Emmy award-winning sports television producer, helped produce public service
videos as well as numerous charity events to help forward literacy projects.
In 1997 Anne helped open the
Hollywood Education and Literacy Project, and has continued to act as a
spokesperson for the cause.
“Sitting
in our homes each evening we are bombarded by an avalanche of bad news… news
that thrusts upon us this terrible plight that has reduced our schools to
battlegrounds. Yet, I have personally seen ex-gang members reading with a
thirst for knowledge, and a burning desire to catch up on the education they had
missed. What can cause such a miraculous reversal? L. Ron Hubbard's
Study Technology. Organizations such as the World Literacy Crusade and the
Hollywood Education and Literacy Project are bringing about such miracles daily,
hourly.
“The miracles from Study
Technology become commonplace to the person who is versed in it. I have
seen it for myself, helping youth from inner city areas as well as my own
children.
“I have seen phenomenal results
especially in teaching my younger son how to read. He went from hating it
to all of a sudden understanding and having tremendous interest in what he was
doing."
For more information, visit www.able.org.
If
you would like to know more about the history of Anne's activism work, please
use the links below.
1980s
- 1988
As the National Public Advocacy Chairman for the
Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Anne spoke to Congressmen at both the
Democratic and Republican Conventions in 1988. She was the key note speaker at
rallies on the Pro Choice issue in Austin, Texas, and in Oregon on the issue of
parental consent. The next year she marched in Washington on behalf of
Planned Parenthood. Anne was
honored for her work in 1988 by “Ms. Magazine”, which pronounced her one of
their six Women of the Year.
1992
Anne began her work as a leading advocate for education
and literacy with an advertising campaign emphasizing the importance of reading
and learning from books. The
full-page ads appeared in Publishers Weekly. Public Service Announcements on
television aired in over 50 million households. Posters were placed in libraries
across the U.S.
1993
Anne was appointed the
International Spokesperson for Applied Scholastics International, a nonprofit
public benefit organization whose purpose is to provide educators, governments,
vocational trainers, community groups, parents and students with the learning
tools they need to achieve a world free from illiteracy. Applied Scholastics was
founded to ensure that these individuals and organizations could avail
themselves of educational discoveries made by humanitarian and writer L. Ron
Hubbard. Applied Scholastics has 325 groups in 34 countries.
Anne has been a
long time supporter and spokesperson for the World Literacy Crusade.
Begun after the 1992 civil unrest in Los Angeles, this learning and
literacy program has since expanded to 36 chapters in the United States alone.
Anne has been a prime spokesperson for the group and has spent many years
helping them open centers, visiting their places of operation and working with
and supporting the program's children and volunteers and bringing celebrities
and philanthropists to visit the program.
Together with other
entertainment industry celebrities Anne hosted the benefit performance of
"The Little Tramp" all proceeds of which went to "Homeless
U.S.A." one of the largest and most effective programs to aid homeless in
the nation. It provides them with
shelter and job skill training to get them off the streets and back into life.
Anne hosted together
with John Travolta the launch of the Drug Free Marshals Program in Los Angeles.
This program has now become an international initiative to combat drug abuse
among youth.
Anne
traveled to Washington. D.C. to
bring to the attention of Congress the need to improve literacy and learning
programs in the U.S. and to brief U.S. congressmen on the programs of Applied
Scholastics. While in D.C., she met
with President Clinton, the Secretary of Education, the American Federation of
Teachers and members of Congress.
Anne meeting The First Lady Hilary Rodman Clinton in Nov.
of 1993
when Anne spoke at the Women's Health Symposium
in Washington, D.C.
1994
Anne was the keynote
speaker at the 1994 Applied Scholastics International Conferences held in Los
Angeles, California.
She was the honorary
co-chair for a major fundraiser for the World Literacy Crusade held at Paramount
Studios. The funds raised went
directly to the programs of the World Literacy Crusade to provide free literacy
and learning programs for children and adults in the inner city.
Together with other
entertainment industry celebrities, Anne participated in an advertising program
promoting the Way to Happiness, a non-religious moral code and common sense
guide for living. Tens of thousands
of copies of the Way to Happiness booklet were distributed to South Africans to
promote peace and mutual respect. The
program was enormously successful...
Together with Kirstie
Alley, Anne hosted the annual Drug Free Hero awards in Los Angeles, honoring
those individuals who had been great advocates of anti-drug education and
rehabilitation programs. Honorees
included Congressman Charles Rangle (D-NY).
1995
Anne was Master of Ceremonies and Co-Chairperson with
John Travolta and Kirstie Alley for the Jam for Literacy held at the Hollywood
House of Blues benefiting the World Literacy Crusade, Lift Every Voice Inc.
(U.N. NGO) and the House of Blues Educational Foundation.
The event hosting committee included John Travolta, Kirstie Alley, Isaac
Hayes, Steven Spielberg and Kate Capshaw, Bob Hope, Marvin Davis, Tom Cruise and
Nicole Kidman. The event garnered worldwide press coverage and tremendous
support for the educational and human rights work of all three charitable
organizations.
1996
Anne was Master of
Ceremonies of the International Lift Every Voice, Inc. (L.E.V.I.) Human Rights
Awards.
L.E.V.I.
is a non-profit recognized United Nations NGO.
Anne hosted the event held by L.E.V.I. honoring nearly half a dozen human
rights advocates from across the planet including the U.N. Special Rapporteur on
Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance.
1997
Anne was Master of Ceremonies and host of the opening
of the new Hollywood Education and Literacy Project. This program opened on Hollywood Boulevard to provide free
literacy, learning and job training to anyone who walked in the door.
The program has since expanded to 26 projects and has serviced more than
4,000 youth in Hollywood alone. Anne
has been an ardent supporter of the program since its opening, bringing many
community leaders, philanthropists and celebrities to see the program and
encouraged them to support its activities.
1995-1998
In conjunction with the
Diners Club Matches in La Quinta, California, Anne and her husband Terry Jastrow,
President of Jastrow Productions Inc., produced and hosted the annual
fundraising golf tournament for the Association for Better Living and Education
(A.B.L.E.), a non-profit organization.
Anne
traveled to Germany with an American TV news crew to document the discrimination
against members of minority religions. Anne conducted the interviews herself and was able to
document many instances of human rights abuse by the German government. Her
visit and its consequences were reported on national television in the U.S.
1998
Anne attended the fall
session of the European Council and European Parliament to brief members about
the discrimination against minority religions in Europe. She spoke with a number
of M.E.P.s, stressing the need to take action at European Parliament level to
abate this trend. Anne was able to show how the discrimination practiced against
minority religions violates human rights instruments such as the Helsinki
Accords and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. She hosted a press
conference for European artists discriminated against in Europe due to their
religious beliefs. She also
released an open letter from the artists to the new Chancellor of Germany,
asking him to take steps to end religious intolerance. This news ran on several
international wires.
Anne addressed the
plenary session of the annual conference of the Organization for Security and
Cooperation in Europe in Warsaw, Poland in October 1998. Again, the theme of her
talk was discrimination against religious minorities in Western Europe,
particularly in Germany. AP and AFP as well as the BBC World Service covered the
news.
Anne
was the Master of Ceremonies of the 30th Anniversary of the Citizen's Commission
on Human Rights, a non-profit human rights advocacy group that investigates and
exposes human rights abuses in the field of mental health.
Anne has been a strong proponent of CCHR's work in exposing widespread
misuse and over prescription of mind-altering psychotropic drugs to children, to
the detriment of educational standards and with a resulting increase in youthful
violence.
Anne
was Master of Ceremonies of the 30th Anniversary of Freedom
Magazine’s Human Rights Leadership Awards recognizing prominent Human Rights
Advocates, remarkable men and women who make a difference, whose ambitions for
the world extend far beyond there own needs and desires, and, by stellar
example, pave the way for human rights for all.
1999
- 2000
Together with House
International Relations Committee Chairman Ben Gilman, Rep. Matt Salmon and Rep.
Don Payne, Anne announced the introduction of H.Res. 388 to Congress. The
Resolution calls on Congress to express its concern over discrimination against
minority religions in Germany. A similar Resolution was introduced in the
Senate. The Resolutions have gained more than 50 sponsors in both Houses. News
of the House Resolution being introduced ran internationally on DPA, AFP and AP.
Anne also conducted
meetings with several congressmen to alert them to the denial of religious
freedom and freedom of thought in Germany, France, Austria and Belgium. This led
to the introduction of House Resolution 588. Sponsored by Congressmen Gilman,
Payne and Salmon, the Resolution criticizes religious discrimination in those
countries against a wide range of religions, including Scientologists, Mormons
and Hasidic Jews. The House International Relations Committee unanimously passed
the Resolution in October 2000.
Anne
has repeatedly met with the United States State Department to brief U.S.
officials on discrimination against religious minorities in Western Europe. She
has traveled to Germany, France, Denmark and Belgium to meet with the U.S.
Ambassadors to those nations, asking for their assistance to combat governmental
religious discrimination.
1994
- present
Every year Anne has been one of the stars of the Annual
Christmas Stories fundraiser held at the Church of Scientology Celebrity Centre
in Hollywood to support the youth programs of the Police Activities League of
the L.A. Police Department. The
annual event is Hollywood P.A.L.'s most successful annual fundraiser. It is
covered nationally each year in the press and on TV.
1995
- present
Anne has traveled to Washington DC dozens of times and
has met with nearly hundreds of members of the U.S. House of Representatives and
the U.S. Senate as well as many State Department officials, returning to DC
again and again to bring to the attention of the United States government the continued persecution of
minority religions in Europe. This
has included her attendance at several press conferences and submission of
written testimony to Congress and the U.S. Helsinki Commission, chaired by
former Senator Alfonse D'Amato. When Anne was unable to testify before the
International House Relations Committee in June 2000, she arranged for her
friend and fellow-actress, Catherine Bell, to go in her place. Catherine
testified on behalf of both herself and Anne about the continued mistreatment of
minority religious members in Germany.
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