Queen’s University Launch Animation Project with Human Rights Commission

Climate change threatens the effective enjoyment of our human rights in Northern Ireland. That is the message that carries through two animated films being launched today.

The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission and Queen’s University Belfast have worked together to deliver a participative animation project on climate change and human rights.

Researched and led by Broadcast MA students at Queen’s; coordinated by lecturer Don Duncan; and animated by Enter Yes, a local, award-winning Animation and Visual Effects studio, these animations explore climate change from a youth perspective, through a human rights lens.

Les Allamby, NI Human Rights Chief Commissioner commented:

“We are pleased to launch this animation today with the students from Queen’s University and would like to thank them for contributing to this project. The animations provide a vital tool to raise awareness of climate change as a human right issue and one that governments and public authorities must be held accountable for. With the COP 26 summit being held in Glasgow later this year this is a timely and important initiative. We hope that everyone will watch the animations and consider the wider issues they raise.”

Professor Nola Hewitt-Dundas, Pro Vice-Chancellor of the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast:

“It is of significant pride to us that current students and recent alumni of Queen’s University have been developing these excellent narrative projects. The environment and climate change are fundamental issues of our time, and it is both significant and crucial that young peoples’ stories and perspectives on these issues exist in the public domain. The future is theirs and their voices need to be heard to inform individual behaviour and policy choices.”

ENDS

Further information:

For further information please contact Jason McKeown on (028) 90269769/ 07769361156 or by email on jason.mckeown@nihrc.org

1. The launch event will premiere on YouTube on Thursday 24 June at 12.30pm. You can watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKLSghOftYg

Animation #1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KaCkF8S0Ss

Animation #2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yYNxmA3XzU

1. The Northern Ireland Human Right Commission is an independent statutory body first proposed in the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement (1998) and established in 1999 by the Northern Ireland Act (1998). It is answerable to Parliament at Westminster. It has a duty to promote understanding and awareness of the importance of human rights in Northern Ireland.