Holocaust survivor Leslie Vertes (second from right) meets delegates from Westmount High School. Photo courtesy of CJC,QR

The Human Promise is a grassroots organization run entirely by secondary school students. They do not disguise their disappointment at the international community’s failure to fulfill the promise made in the wake of the Holocaust that “never again” would genocide be ignored. They point to Rwanda and Srebrenica, and, most recently, Darfur as horrible and irrefutable evidence that, 60 years since its adoption, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is anything but universal.

Created by Canadian Jewish Congress, Quebec Region, The Human Promise has done much to sensitize students to crises of genocide, with a particular emphasis on Darfur as being among the worst current humanitarian disasters. This has had a distinct impact at Bialik High School, where both of its co-presidents study.

“The genocide started in Darfur in 2001and it’s still unresolved eight years later,” says Human Promise Co-President Adam Eliesen, 16. “Nobody should be able to say they don’t know about it.”

Like many of his fellow Jewish day school students, Eliesen and Co- President Shawn Greenstone, 17, were inspired to become active by their Jewish education. The values they have been taught, including the concept of tikun olam, which stresses the importance of every human life, and a strong emphasis on preserving the memory of the Holocaust have contributed to their overriding sense of responsibility for personally making a difference.

The Human Promise challenges young people to take it upon themselves, as a duty, to witness crimes against humanity and to educate others. It has already done a phenomenal job of outreach. Eliesen and Greenstone say that you won’t find a student at Bialik who isn’t aware of the Darfur situation, where tens of thousands have been killed and others live in terror and misery.

“The group has set a tone for community spirit and tikun olam at Bialik,” said Eliesen. “Everybody is aware of human rights and nobody looks away when they see headlines about genocide. Just by being aware, spreading information, and talking about the issue, we feel we are making a difference.”

Further information about The Human Promise is available at www.humanpromise.org and Facebook or by calling 514 345-6411, ext. 3164.

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