Greeley Student Club Commemorates Human Rights Day
Last Wednesday evening, students from Horace Greeley High School’s Education Now on Understanding Genocide and Hate (E.N.O.U.G.H.) Club and the Town of New Castle Holocaust & Human Rights Committee held the third annual Human Rights Day program at the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center.
The event featured three Westchester County residents who shared their experiences as refugees. Panelists included Anuja Joshi, a New Castle resident and a town Holocaust & Human Rights Committee member who fled Uganda during the Ugandan Asian Expulsion in 1972; Westchester County Legislator Vedat Gashi who, along with his parents and siblings, fled Kosovo in the early 1990s; and Ukrainian refugee Svitlana Kolobova.
During the program the co-presidents of the E.N.O.U.G.H. Club, Jack Rosenberg and Elliott Saiontz, shared remarks from Chappaqua residents President Bill Clinton and Secretary Hilary Clinton. As the need to advocate and protect human rights for all individuals is more important than ever, the Clintons’ heartfelt words resonated with the community.
E.N.O.U.G.H. members Eliza Elbaum, Robyn Keiles, Joshua Lungen and Ben Prober posed questions to the panelists throughout the program. Town Supervisor Lisa Katz spoke of the importance of welcoming everyone to the local community.
Saiontz thanked the panelists for participating in the discussion and hoped the challenges they faced could be looked upon as an inspiration.
“It is my hope that we will take their stories to heart and change both our community and country into a place ready to supply refugees with the American Dream that Anuja, Westchester County Legislator Vedat Gashi, Svitlana, my ancestors, and many of yours, I imagine, came to America desiring,” he said.
This is a press release provided by the organization. It has been lightly edited and is being published by Examiner Media as a public service.
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