Essay and Art Competition:
Contest Rules and Guidelines
As part of an ongoing project by Lewis McIntosh we are pleased to invite you to participate in an Essay and Art Competition answering the question:

"Why Canada Needs a Human Rights Museum"

Sponsored in part by McNally Robinson Booksellers
The goal of this event is to help young people understand human rights principles and Canada's role in ensuring those rights for all people.
In today's society, nothing could be more important!

1. Who Can Participate?
The activities are open to all young people aged five to eighteen. There is no entry fee.

2. What do you need?
These Contest Rules & Guidelines and an outline of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights plan. Copies will be provided to all entrants. Questions? Email (preferable) baltman@mts.net or call 489.0313.

3. How do you start?
Discuss the human rights issues with your friends, teachers or families. Which human rights issues are important to you? How could a museum help build respect for human rights?

A. Choose a relevant right, issue or group of people (eg. the right to freedom of religion; or issues like the death penalty, racial profiling, bullying; or situations facing aboriginal people and new immigrants). Historical perspectives are another approach (eg: where your family came from, what they faced as immigrants, how things have changed since they arrived and what still needs to change). Current events can also stimulate interesting discussions about human rights.

B. Read Canada's Charter of Rights and Freedoms as well as the provided information about the Canadian Museum for Human Rights (CMHR). Read the Charter at http://laws.justice.gc.ca/en/charter/

C. Think of examples of how human rights (or a lack of them) might apply to your life. Can you think of a specific experience or example? Be sure you are specific about which rights in the Charter apply to a particular situation. This is essential!

D. Use dictionaries, encyclopedias, school libraries and public libraries. Refer to the Charter of Rights and Freedoms or the CMHR information frequently. The purpose of the contest is to increase awareness of human rights and the role of the CMHR. Be sure your essay does this.

E. Some useful websites with human rights information, lesson plans and ideas are:
http://www.pch.gc.ca/progs/pdp-hrp/canada/index_e.cfm http://www.gov.mb.ca/hrc/english/links.html
http://www.amnestyusa.org/education/lessonplans/ http://www.huridocs.org/websites.htm
http://www.wsd1.org/PC_LMS/resources/human_rights.htm http://www.cahr.fsu.edu/links.html
http://www.socialstudies.ab.ca/links/Teaching_Current_Events/ http://www.amnesty-volunteer.org/usa/education/lessons.html

4. How do you prepare the essay?

A. Choose one example from your discussions or readings and describe it. Identify at least one relevant right from the Charter. How could CMHR help, educate, improve human relations or build a better world?

B. Prepare a title page with a catchy title, name, age, email address (if available), phone number. The title page can include a drawing or picture if you wish

C. Essays can be written or typed. A simple bibliography or list of sources should be included. Essays must be your own work or they will be disqualified

D. Length requirements. Essays must fall within the following length restrictions:
· K - Grade Three 25 - 200 words
· Grade Four - Grade Six 100 - 300 words
· Grade Seven - S1 200 - 400 words
· S2 - S4 300 - 800 words

5. What are the guidelines for the Art Project?
The general guidelines are the same for both the essay and art competitions. Below are the specific points that relate to art projects.

A. Projects can be any drawings, photographs, computer graphics, magazine paste-ups, sculpture, etc. that visually get a message across.

B. Projects on paper should be a minimum of 8.5" x 11" and a maximum of 24" x 36". Small amounts of text or captions are allowed. Art projects must have titles. Students may sign their artwork on the front.

C. Be sure to indicate somehow which right in the Charter is relevant to your piece of art

6. How do you submit your entry?

A. Essays and art projects can be submitted individually by email to baltman@mts.net . You may also drop off your entries at McNally Robinson Booksellers in Grant Park Shopping Centre or Portage Place.

B. All submissions should include a cover letter that includes:
· Name of entrant
· Age and Date of Birth
· Grade and School or organization
· Address including city/town, postal code, phone number and email (if available)
· Name and daytime phone number (and email if available) of parent or guardian or teacher

C. Please be advised that entries will not be returned.

D. Entries must be received by Thursday April 29 at 4:00 and can be submitted at any time before then

7. The Announcement of Winners
Awards will be presented on May 9th at the post event activities following the Rock n Roll Stroll 5K Fun Run/Walk being held at The Forks. The winning entrants will be notified by May 6th. Winners will also be announced on the radio (COOL FM 99.1 and HOT 103 FM) as well as in the Winnipeg Free Press and the Winnipeg Sun

8. Prizes
There will be a cash prize for essays and for art projects in each of the categories mentioned above:
First Prize is $100
Second Prize is $75
Third Prize is $50

In addition there will be several Honourable Mention prizes in all categories which will include items from McNally Robinson Booksellers, Running Room and others.

This event is being sponsored by:
McNally Robinson Booksellers, The Running Room
Time and Again Digital Design, Tamarbar and the
Lewis McIntosh Canadian Museum for Human Rights Fund

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