Hundreds of NSS volunteers of Chandigarh alongwith international delegates of 9th International Youth Peace Fest came together on roads of the City Beautiful on Wednesday to create a 7-km-long 'Human Chain & Candle light Vigil' to promote “Rights & Dignity of Girls & Women”.
The human chain was created from the main gate of PGIMER to Press chowk, Sector 18 here and on all four sides of Sector 17.
Over 5,000 local school and college students and international youth from 32 countries led by Pramod Sharma, Coordinator, Yuvsatta and Anthony Carlisle, International Affairs Supervisor of Garden of Hope Foundation, Taiwan-an organisation promoting rights of girls in Asia, became part of this historic effort in Chandigarh.
The event was aimed at promoting “Rights & Dignity of Girls & Women”. Justice Surya Kant, Judge, Punjab & Haryana High Court, also joined and inspired the participants at the entrance of Rose Garden here.
To express their demand to put an end to violence against women & promote their rights & dignity, some of the placards which participants were carrying included slogans like ‘Empower Women & Empower World, ‘No more silence’, ‘We demand a rape-free society’ and ‘May every place be safe for women’, Educate Women & Educate World etc.
Expressing his view on the occasion, Justice Surya Kant shared that the participants should vow to never be violent against any woman or girl, to raise their voices against all domestic and sexual violence, to report and seek help and support for all acts of violence against women and to treat all acts of violence against women as a violation of human rights.
By morning, around 30 international participants from over 8 countries participated in a ‘Peace Club Programme of Carmel Convent School here. And, later over 400 students of 30 schools & colleges joined at ‘Green Art Fest’ & ‘Go Solar Mobile Phone Film Contest’, to promote the 3 R’s of recycle, reduce & refuse at Botanical Garden, Sarangpur here.