HARARE - The Zimbabwe Human Rights Association (ZimRights) will early next month host two choral competitions to celebrate the United Nations (UN) International Human Rights Day.

The day is commemorated on December 10 every year. According to a statement released by ZimRights the choral competition will be held at Victoria High School in Masvingo on the 1st of next month.

“Ten schools will compete on a choral piece written by Walter Mujuru entitled Ngatishoropodzeyi Mhirizhonga. The choral piece speaks to the need for communities to shun violence, have mutual respect for human rights and promote peace. Violence stifles development, thus people must not focus on their differences but on ways in which they can benefit from each other through their different ways of thinking.”

“ZimRights has extended invitations to the government through the ministry of Education, the National Association of Secondary Heads (Nash), National Association of Primary Heads (Naph) and civil society organisations,” the statement said.

The 10 schools competing are; Regina Mundi, Victoria High, Leopold Takawira, Nemamwa, St Patrick’s, Masvingo Christian College, Nerupiri, St Joseph Chidyamakono, Gokomere and Silveira Secondary Schools.

“The idea of hosting choral competitions for secondary was brought about by the need to involve youths and students in raising human rights awareness. It also emanated from on-going efforts to encourage the introduction of human rights education in schools as part of their curriculum.

“We realised the importance of teaching students about their basic human rights while they are still young so that they internalise them and can demand respect for them in future. Most of the challenges we face today as a nation are as a result of lack of knowledge and mutual respect for human rights.

Hence, as youths grow, that knowledge also grows with them, creating knowledgeable communities,” ZimRights said.

“Commemorations for such important days have been confined to central areas such as the in the capital hence there is need to spread the choral competitions to target communities outside Harare, particularly those that are often marginalised to promote human rights as a nationwide concern and not a Harare agenda.”

Last year’s competition whose theme was the need to respect socio-economic rights particularly those of women, children and those living with HIV/Aids was hosted at the Civic Centre in Gweru and was won by St Patricks Secondary school.

ZimRights hopes and anticipates that this will become a tradition such that the competitions will be held annually.

The top three winners of the competition will be presented with prizes. The organisation promotes the use of peaceful conflict resolution mechanisms.

Political differences amongst community members have been the major cause of tensions and violence.