Devotion to
human rights recognized
|
HELSINKI,
Finland, 9 October 2003 (BWNS) --
Just after the birth of her fourth child, Melody
Karvonen made a career change that put her on
the path to be named Human Rights Worker of the
Year in Finland.
While
still on maternity leave, Mrs. Karvonen decided
to bring to an end her 10-year career in
architectural drafting and house-designing and
to move into the human rights field.
She
first participated in a project aimed at the
elimination of racism.
In
that campaign organized by the Red Cross and the
Mannerheim's Child Protection League, she led
groups of youth and children in discussions on
racial tolerance in society, and the beauty of
human diversity. |
Melody Karvonen with her husband, Jarmo at
the award ceremony. (Photo by Martin Heslop.)
|
Fourteen
years later, after her initial steps had broadened into
a career devoted to the protection of human rights, Mrs.
Karvonen, 51, was named the Human Rights Worker of the
Year by the Finnish League for Human Rights.
Dr. Pentti
Arajarvi, a member of the league's board of directors
and husband of the President of Finland, Tarja Halonen,
was the keynote speaker at the award ceremony on 27
September 2003.
Also
present was Mikko Puumalainen, the Finnish Ombudsman for
Minorities.
In her
acceptance speech, Mrs. Karvonen said that the
principles of the Baha'i Faith provided a basis for her
work.
"Today
there is a lot of emphasis in the world on diversity and
coexistence, but less on how we can work better
together," she said.
"People
often concentrate on the differences of culture, but in
my work I try to focus on how human beings can live
together.As Baha'u'llah said: 'The earth is but one
country and mankind its citizens.'"
Mrs.
Karvonen was born in Iran -- her maiden name was Naghmeh
Izadi -- and moved to Finland in 1973. She is married to
Finnish-born Jarmo Tapio Karvonen and has four children.
She has served as a member of the National Spiritual
Assembly of the Baha'is of Finland since 1997.
After her
initial two years as a volunteer in human rights work,
she accepted a position with the Red Cross as a refugee
adviser for the newly established Center for Asylum
Seekers in Joensuu, in the east of Finland.
For five
years she represented the Police of Joensuu as an
educator for tolerance and cross-cultural understanding.
Other
projects with which she has been involved include: a
program to reduce violence and racism among youth; the
establishment of a school curriculum: called
"Coexistence to Living Together, a Curriculum for
World Citizenship Education"; an evaluation and
development of an international meeting center in
Joensuu; and the "Be Equal Be Different
Project" shared by Finland, Holland, Italy and
Ireland to reduce discrimination in the workplace.
Mrs.
Karvonen often accepts invitations from throughout
Finland to address groups on topics such as
cross-cultural understanding, tolerance and
understanding, and the equality of women and men.
Mrs.
Karvonen is currently working as an immigration
counselor for a project funded by the European Social
Fund, under the auspices of the European Union.
