Yesterday Citizens for Global Solutions joined human rights advocates from all over D.C. and the world for the 2011 Annual Human Rights Luncheon hosted by the United Nations Association of the National Capitol Area.  Held in the beautiful Cannon House Caucus Room, the event was an inspiring reminder of what true dedication to a cause can produce - just in time for International Human Rights day this Saturday!

The luncheon was in honor of many long-time human rights advocates.  The event paid tribute to Richard Griffs, an extremely active UNA-NCA member and the Chair of the Human Rights Committee, who sadly passed away earlier this week.  He was the "force behind the Annual Human Rights Luncheon," and it was clear that he will be sorely missed both at the UNA-NCA and in the field of human rights. 

Thomas Buergenthal, former Judge at both the International Court of Justice in The Hague and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights as well as Professor of Law at George Washington University School of Law, was honored for receiving the Louis B. Sohn Human Rights Award.  He spoke of his personal experiences and relationship with Louis B. Sohn which was what made this day so special to him.  Thomas met Louis in 1960 at Harvard Law School where he was working on his LL.M. degree, and "thus began a student-teacher relationship and friendship that lasted until his {Louis's} death in 2004."