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The competition will be judged by an exciting panel of experts, including writers Ali Smith, Georgia Byng and Anthony Horowitz, and publisher Simon Prosser.

The contest has two age groups: the first is for children aged 4 – 10 years old and the second for 11 – 16 year olds. Entrants are asked to write a short piece – up to 250 words – of poetry or prose inspired by any or all of the Articles within the Human Rights Act.

Write Human Rights is being launched today to coincide with Human Rights Day, which Liberty is also celebrating with the release of a cinema advert in praise of the Human Rights Act. The advert, which will be played before the new ‘Narnia’ movie, features Simon Callow and Riz Ahmed as teachers helping a class of children discuss the importance of human rights.

Launching the competition, Shami Chakrabarti director of Liberty, said:

“Children understand better than most that rights and freedoms are the common values that bind us together. Liberty’s schools competition will let young people get to the heart of the values Britain holds dear – and perhaps even inspire tomorrow’s human rights champions.”  

Journalists contact: Liberty’s press office on 020 7378 3656 or 07973 831 128

NOTES TO EDITORS

• From 10 December 2010 to 4 February 2011, schools may register their interest in the Write Human Rights competition. The competition will then be open for entries from 28 February through to the end of May 2011  UPDATE: Deadline for registration extended to 31 March 2011 at which point the competition will also be open for entries.
  
• Liberty’s new cinema advert is part of the organisation’s Common Values campaign to protect the Human Rights Act.
  
• The advert was produced with the assistance of DNR films and others, along with its stars Simon Callow and Riz Ahmed. It will be screened in cinemas throughout London and the South East.