Street Law Grads “Youngest Experts on What is Right”
On May 7, 2008, the American Bar Association Central European and Eurasian Law Initiative (ABA CEELI) held a graduation ceremony in for third-grade participants in the Street Law Program at School #177 in Baku, Azerbaijan. U.S. Ambassador Anne Derse and ABA CEELI Country Director David Rubino delivered opening remarks at the event.
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| A third-grade ABA CEELI Street Law Program graduate from School #177 in Baku, Azerbaijan proudly displays with his diploma as U.S. Ambassador Anne Derse looks on. |
In her speech, Ambassador Derse addressed the proud graduates. “You are Azerbaijan’s youngest experts on what is fair and what is right. These concepts are very important. What you have learned will help make your country a better place for all Azerbaijani people. As you continue to study and grow older, please remember what you learned in Street Law. In the future, you will all become parents, teachers, doctors, lawyers, officials, businessmen. Whatever you study and whatever you decide to do, what you have learned here will make you leaders in building a more peaceful world, where everyone is treated fairly and equally.”
A representative from the Ministry for Education expressed the Ministry’s interest in continuing its cooperation within the Street Law Project, and expanding its reach to cover as many schools nationwide as possible.
The goal of the USAID-supported Street Law Program is to encourage children to take an active role in their communities by teaching them basic principles of democracy and human rights while modeling ways in which to take action. Through the program, teams of law students use games, group activities, role play, and other forms of interactive instruction to teach third- through tenth-graders (eight- to fifteen year-olds) about basic legal rights, alternative dispute resolution, and anti-corruption strategies. Since the Street Law Program’s inception in 2004, more than 100 law students from eight universities and 1,200 children in 6 cities across the country have participated in this project.
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