Fair Trade Fashion Highlights Tampa Human Rights Event

Online, July 7, 2011 (Newswire.com) - Youth for Human Rights of Florida are raising awareness of the harm created by human trafficking in the garment industry - and showcasing the solution at the "Colors of the World" fashion show to be held at the Church of Scientology of Tampa on Saturday, July the 16th

The fashion show will feature fair trade and eco-friendly clothing and accessories.

The event is scheduled for Saturday, July 16th, from 11am to 2pm and will include complementary refreshments. Some of the fashions modeled at the show will be available for sale, with proceeds benefitting Youth for Human Rights.

Tickets are $30 per person and all proceeds will benefit the fight against human trafficking.

Fair trade is the practice of paying workers an equitable wage for what they produce, so that they can afford to send their children to school, live in adequate housing, have access to food and medical care.

The alternative is quite disturbing. For example this year in Spain, a ring of 80 Chinese-owned sweatshops were discovered and broken up by local authorities. Workers there were basically held as slaves, earning little to nothing, working 7 days a week and up to 19 hours a day to sew clothing.

In some instances, law enforcement found mattresses leaning against the walls of the sweatshops, and were told by the workers that they slept in the same room that they worked in.

Youth for Human Rights hope that people will take the time to learn about this issue and support fair trade and those designers, manufacturers and farming collectives that practice these methods.

The group utilizes public service announcements and educational materials to instruct other youth on what basic human rights are, and the history of human rights.

For more information about the Colors of the World Fashion Show, or to purchase tickets please call (727) 259-8211. The Church of Scientology of Tampa is located at 16th at 1300 East 8th Ave.

"Our founder L. Ron Hubbard said that 'Human rights must be made a fact, not an idealistic dream,' and this is why we support groups like Youth for Human Rights and we are happy to host them here for this event," said Church spokeswoman Lisa Mansell.

Educator Mary Shuttleworth founded youth for Human Rights in 2001. The purpose of the group is to popularize the United Nation's Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which includes the right to not be enslaved or tortured. To find out more, please go to www.youthforhumanrights.org.