Minister for Foreign Affairs Stubb and Signmark champion equality and tolerance in New York

Press Release 270/2010
20 September 2010
 

Finland is organizing a seminar on the rights of people with disability for invited participants, to be held during the opening week of the UN General Assembly in New York. This series of events, the joint brainchild of Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb and hip-hop artist Signmark (Marko Vuoriheimo), strives to promote tolerance as well as respect for equality and difference.

According to Signmark, a Deaf hip-hop artist who performs in Sign Language, society should not treat the Deaf as people with disability, but as members of a language minority. Alongside Foreign Minister Stubb and Signmark, Shuaib Chalklen of South Africa, who was recently appointed UN Special Rapporteur on Disability, will appear at the seminar for invited participants on 22 September. Finland provides financial support for the Special Rapporteur's work.

The aim of the seminar, entitled Label us able – Respect diversity and free the full potential of all individuals, is to emphasize equal rights. The UN General Assembly adopted the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2006. The Convention's entry into force will strengthen implementation of the rights of those with disability both internationally and in countries that have put the Convention into practice.

In addition to the seminar, Signmark will hold a public event, Silent Shout, in New York City’s Washington Square Park on 23 September. At this event, the performers and the audience will sign a chorus line in sync with American Sign Language (ASL), on behalf of equality and tolerance. Similar events have been organized previously, for instance, in Hong Kong and Stockholm. Both the seminar and the Silent Shout event take place during the International Deaf Awareness Week, which falls this year on 20–26 September.

Additional information:

Sofie From-Emmesberger, Head of the Unit for Human Rights Policy of the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs, mobile tel. +358 40 568 8641, Deputy Consul General Riitta Gerlander, Consulate General of Finland in New York, tel. +1 917 362 1350.

Requests for interviews of the Foreign Minister: Sanni Grahn-Laasonen, Press Attaché to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, mobile tel. +358 40 732 8340

Requests for interviews of Signmark: Nuppu Stenros, mobile tel. +358 45 677 3642, [email protected]
 

This press release in American Sign Language (Link to another website.) (Opens New Window)

Website of the Silent Shout event(Link to another website.) (Opens New Window)

Website of the Silent Shout event (press)(Link to another website.) (Opens New Window)