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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - On Dec. 10, 1948, the United Nations General Assembly adopted and proclaimed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Today, 60 years later, students in Yellowknife are celebrating the momentous anniversary with an original expression of visual art.

Said Mushtagh, Kevin Grinstead and Nick Walker collaborated on these two murals to emphasize the importance of recognizing human rights locally, nationally and internationally. The art is on display today at the NWT Human Rights Commission office in the main floor of the Laing Building downtown from 3 p.m. until 5 p.m. - Daron Letts/NNSL photo

"We're painting about what human rights are and what they mean," said Grade 9 artist Nick Walker, while finishing a wall-sized mural last weekend.

He and Grade 7 student Kevin Grinstead worked with coordinator Said Mushtagh for five weeks to create two paintings on the subject of peace, justice, freedom and human dignity.

"Once you have peace it can evolve into justice and you need peace and justice to achieve prosperity," Grinstead explained.

The two-panel artwork in acrylic on plywood depicts a tree with long, deep roots representing human rights such as freedom of peaceful assembly and association, the right to equal pay for equal work, the right to equal access to public service, the right to rest and leisure, freedom of privacy and freedom of opinion and expression.

"We want to make the message clear that all of these human rights and human needs are very important," Grinstead continued. "We couldn't live without them."

The bright green leaves sprouting from the top of the tree reflect human virtues like love, respect, equality and knowledge.

Grinstead and Walker advocate an addition to the declaration that the authors neglected to include 60 years ago.

"The right to a healthy environmental legacy should be there," Grinstead said. "Because we're in charge of protecting the environment for the next generation."

When asked if there is a movement to include the right to the preservation of a healthy environment for future generations in the declaration, Walker responded: "We could start one."

The mural is on display today at the NWT Human Rights Commission office in the main floor of the Laing Building downtown from 3 p.m. until 5 p.m. The commission is unveiling the work as part of its open house in recognition of International Human Rights Day. The event is meant to celebrate past achievements, individual contributions to the struggle for human rights and the work that still remains to be done.

All are invited, and have a right to, attend.