(From left to right): Celie Niehaus, Amb. Sharon Wilkinson, Joy Scott, Amb. Ebrahim Rasool, and Angela Johnson meet with School Without Walls Principal, Richard Trogisch

On Thursday, October 20, 2011, Meridian International Center and Operation HOPE celebrated the fourth annual Global Dignity Day by hosting “Globalizing Dignity: Preparing Young Leaders for New Global Frontiers” at the School Without Walls (SWW). Global Dignity Day is intended to spread the concept of human dignity as a universal right to young people around the world.

Panelists Dr. Claire Nelson, Amb. Ebrahim Rasool and Amb. Sharon Wilkinson discuss the concept of global dignity.

Student Body President Ms. Joy Scott began the program with an overview of the dignity principles and an introduction of the speakers. The remarkable panel was comprised of His Excellency Ebrahim Rasool, Ambassador of South Africa to the U.S., Dr. Claire Nelson, Founder of the Institute of Caribbean Studies, and moderator Ambassador Sharon Wilkinson, Senior Vice President and Deputy of Meridian. Following remarks and reflections on the meaning of, and experience with, dignity in their own lives, the panelists took questions from the audience. At the conclusion of a lively question and answer session, SWW students participated in breakout groups led by facilitators from Operation HOPE and the Leon Sullivan Foundation to further debate and discuss the topic of global dignity.