The Human Rights Commission of the State of Yucatan celebrated its 30th Anniversary with a ceremony where it presented the Human Merit Award to Dr. Roger Orellana, the Marista University of Merida and Mrs. Libia Novelo Dominguez, for their contribution to the promotion and protection of human rights in Yucatan.
In a ceremony held last night at the Olimpo Cultural Center, the President of CODHEY, Miguel Oscar Sabido Santana, celebrated the moment of institutional maturity and said it is the perfect opportunity to evaluate progress in the tasks of promoting, disseminating, protecting and defending human rights.
“Today I can be sure that, thirty years later, we can say that the culture of respect for human rights has grown, through the awareness and conviction of our authorities, but also of all citizens. We can clearly visualize a road we still have to travel to achieve a just and inclusive society, naturally respectful of the rights we all desire and deserve,” he said.
Sabido Santana indicated that little by little progress has been made in the knowledge of human rights and in the daily practice that gives certainty to citizens to demand them when they have been violated.
“Our ideal is that all people know and enjoy their human rights on an equal footing,” he said.
He recalled that last Wednesday, March 1st, the State Congress decreed that March 3rd of each year will be commemorated as “State Human Rights Day”, in allusion to the date of creation of CODHEY and the importance of fundamental rights in all spheres of our lives.
The ceremony was presided over by the General Secretary of Government, María Dolores Fritz Sierra; the President of the Board of Directors of the State Congress, Erik José Rihani González; the representative of the Judicial Branch of the State of Yucatán, Magistrate Mauricio Tappan Silveira; the Secretary of the City Council, Alejandro Ruz Castro; as well as the recipients of the Human Merit Award, Dr. Roger Armando Antonio Orellana Lanza; Mtro. Ermilo José Echeverría Castellanos, Rector of the Universidad Marista de Mérida; and Mrs. Libia Esther Novelo Domínguez.
In her message, the General Secretary of Government said that the work of the award winners is an inspiration and hope for a better society and future that we will leave to future generations.
“I ask you to have a single coincidence, to work for Yucatan, for the less favored, for the most vulnerable and to work for the human rights of all Yucatecans,” she said.
Upon receiving his recognition, Dr. Roger Orellana said that there are many people who are fighting for a healthy environment and mental health.
“I hope that this right continues to be recognized, that it is more explicit because there are more people who are working in favor of the environment and not only with words but with deeds, and that is very important.
CODHEY granted the recognition to Dr. Orellana for his vision of preserving the ecosystems in our entity. Preservation, education and research are the strategic lines through which he has contributed to the protection of the human right to a healthy environment.
He is the promoter and founder of the botanical and ethnobiological garden of the Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán (CICY) that bears his name. He is the author of 13 books on different subjects related to ecology, climatology, endemic plants and their preservation, among other important actions.
The second recognition was for the Universidad Marista, and was received by its Rector Ermilo José Echeverría Castellanos, who celebrated the recognition and asked the attendees to assume the challenge of being ethical leaders committed to human rights in order to make equality, justice and equity a reality.
Universidad Marista de Mérida is recognized as an institution that since its inception has incorporated an innovative educational model of integral formation, which places the person at the center. Through this model, it promotes human, professional, intellectual, social and spiritual development, seeking to generate graduates who are sensitive and committed to their social environment.
In addition, they have developed a university educational inclusion program called “Building Bridges”, aimed at young people with intellectual disabilities that allows them to increase their skills for employment, and civic, academic, and community participation.
Likewise, it implemented the Master’s Degree in Human Rights to strengthen the knowledge of people dedicated to the defense, protection, study, research, dissemination, and promotion of our fundamental prerogatives in the public and private sectors.
They have carried out workshops for the promotion and protection of the rights of migrants in Mexico and encouraged the active participation of young university students in national and international human rights competitions.
Finally, the Human Merit Award was presented to Mrs. Libia Esther Novelo Domínguez, who in her message called on society to help indigent women.
“It is not possible for women to be lying on the street, we cannot allow that, that is our next goal,” she said.
The award winner invited the attendees to help the underprivileged, “they will have a good taste in their mouths and peace in their hearts”.
The founder of “La Casa Hogar para el Desamparado” also known as “La Casa del Buen Samaritano”, was awarded for her work in favor of homeless people, since she provides them with a dignified space where they can sleep, breakfast and dinner, clean clothes, hot water for bathing and hope to get on their feet.
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