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Human dignity through school children
 Independence
Day, Human Rights and France's Freedom from Repression
Just as the Fourth of Febru ary means so
much to us, the 14th of July has special significance for France. The Alliance
Francaise, Kandy, is readying an event of real relevance, born of France's
soaring sense of Freedom; of the recognition of Universal Human Rights;
and our own Freedom Day. It will be, in truth, a representation of human
dignity as seen through the eyes of thirty school children from the outskirts
of Kandy - from the Udunuwara, Hewaheta and Malaimahal Central Colleges.
The latter is a Tamil College, and what is particularly impressive is the
beautiful way all these children work together to make of their efforts
a shining demonstration of true unity.
It may be pertinent to fill you in with a bit of the history as given
me by an enthusiastic Director of the Alliance Francaise, since this tells
of the struggles even European nations have undergone in order to proclaim
true freedom. The moving spirit behind the schoolchildren's presentation
is the 18th Century French painter, Delacroux, whose famous "La Liberte"
hangs in the Louvre to this day. Delacroix (1798-1863) travelled extensively
through the former French colonies of Africa - the Ivory Coast, Martinique,
Morocco, Guadeloupe, Gabborn, French Equatorial and French West Africa,
to name a few. He used his brush to celebrate the abolition of slavery
in those colonies. His painting, of a resurgent France, proclaiming itself
free of the bonds of repression, was the Kandy schoolchildren's inspiration.
They were encouraged to study the painting, the artist's choice of colours,
intensity of presentation and the vibrancy of its message. Workshops were
counducted. Artists Kingsley Gunatilleke and Tilak Palliyaguru conducted
the workshops. The children got the message. The operative word was "Freedom"
and with it were "Human Rights" and "National Togetherness".
The children will present in song, in drame skits, in speeches, in their
paintings, the brave spirit Delacroix in whose painting "La Liberte"
a tricolour-bearing woman personifying Liberty leads her revolutionary
forces to victory.
As the director told me, the first moves to abolish slavery were made
during the French Revolution of 1794. Men like L'Abbe Gregoire of the clergy;
Victor Schoelcher of the government; Francois Auguste Perrnion of Guadeloupe;
Cyrille Bissette and Louisy Mathieu of the Republic's Constituent Assembly
were instrumental in the framing of the decree of abolishment by King Louis
XVI on February 4, 1794. General Toussaint Louverture wished for black
freedom in all of French Colonial Africa. Unfortunately, with the installation
of Napoleon Bonaparte, all such plans were firmly repressed. And yet, as
we know, Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite won through. Final total freedom
came in 1848.
The French experience is of particular relevance to Sri Lanka, to the
world. We begin to realise that 1948 has been a special year indeed. Fifty
years ago we won our freedom and, also in 1948 came that all-important
Charter - the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Consider also that
it was on fourth of February that France first abolished slavery and it
was 150 years ago that France finally broke the shackles of slavery. This
is what makes this programme of the Alliance Francaise so relevant. The
message is Freedom and it reminds that this Freedom is worth fighting for!
The programme will commence of January 29 at 6.30 p.m. and will go on
each day, over Independence Day, up to February 7. The Director says that
the show will be presented at three levels. First, the abolition of slavery
in 1848 in all French lands. Second, the famous open letter to French President
Felix Faure from the celebrated French writer Emile Zola. This letter received
a full page one spread in "L' Aurore" of January 15, 1898, a
literary, artistic and social newspaper published in Paris and with a circulation
of 300,000. Third, our own Freedom from colonial powers and the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights. In the gallery the children's contributions
will be on display. Special mobiles on Human Rights are also being prepared
by the children while Kingsley Gunatilleke's "Freedom" model,
titled "Illustration" will also be in prideful place. I am told
that there will be a reciting of French poet Paul Eluard's "Liberte".
It is the children who will do the honours, even giving their lighted
candles to whosoever they choose among the visitors to light the ceremonial
lamp. As the Director says, it is heartening to see the response of the
children. They know that with Freedom comes the responsibility of right
living, right values and the courage to be free. This is what the Alliance
Francaise wishes for Sri Lanka on the occasion of our Independence.
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