Toronto, ON - December 05, 2008 "“ In celebration of the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (December 10th 2008), jhr is pleased to announce its new public face-a new website, new logo, new head office and new way of talking about the important work we do.

jhr's new approach will bring us closer to realizing our goal: to make everyone on earth fully aware of their rights. jhr will also celebrate the positive role the media can play in spreading rights awareness to around the world.

"I'm really excited about the new direction jhr is heading," says jhr's Co-Founder and Executive Director Ben Peterson. "We want to give everyone the chance to learn about human rights and to help play a part in spreading the word."

jhr's new website (www.jhr.ca) tells our story in an interactive way, giving visitors a better understanding of how we mobilize local media to spread the word on human rights. jhr's new logo injects energy to our look and feel. jhr's new office space, in the heart of the 'non-profit' district of Toronto, puts our organization in the thick-of-things. And the new way we talk about our work is designed to get more people excited about the importance of journalism and its potential to change people's lives for the better.

"jhr is a unique organization with a powerful mandate," says Peterson. "The more people we get involved, the more change we can affect."

jhr was co-founded in 2002 by Ben Peterson, recipient of Canada's Top 40 under 40 Award, and has become Canada's largest international media development organization. jhr works primarily in post-conflict countries, including the Congo (DRC), Sierra Leone and Liberia to spread human rights acceptance. In Africa, jhr's programs help reach 20 million people across 16 countries. In Canada, jhr has established 25 Chapters at post-secondary institutions across the country, actively engaging over 20 per cent of Canada's journalism students in human rights reporting.

JHR (Journalists for Human Rights)

JHR (Journalists for Human Rights)

jhr's (Journalists for Human Rights) goal is to make everyone in the world fully aware of their rights. Creating rights awareness is the first and most necessary step to ending rights abuses. Co-founded in 2002 by Ben Peterson, jhr is Canada’s largest media development organization. Internationally, jhr harnesses the power of media in 16 countries - including the Congo, Sierra Leone and Liberia - to reach over 20 million people per week with local stories that provoke and inspire change. Across North America, jhr has an established presence on university and high school campuses, encouraging students to spread rights awareness within their own communities.

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