"Human rights are everyone's rights." That's the message from Ruth Venables, Regional Manager of the Anti-Discrimination Commission in Queensland.

And on Sunday, 5 December from 10am, you'll be able to celebrate International Human Rights Day 2010 at Tanks Arts Centre in Cairns, by hearing stories from local people who have overcome adversity in their lives.

Human rights campaigners from our Far Northern community will share their experiences covering issues of age, gender, asylum, health, race and disability in an event dubbed 'Living Books -Local People, Remarkable Lives'.

"It'll be a really interesting day to hear the stories of these amazing people," Ms Venables said. 

"When we think about human rights we often think about people like Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela, or Aung San Suu Kyi, we don't often think about the people standing next to you in the supermarket queue, or living in your street," she said.

"There are many Far North Queenslanders who have fought for the rights of everyone."

Living Books  is in its fourth year and will feature ten individuals and couples, including this year’s guest speaker, Dr Martin Panter, a medical practitioner and human rights activist who will speak on the topic ‘The Privilege of Making a Difference.’

Ms Venables said discrimination is still prevalent in our community. "It's still a big issue and it happens to some people more than others. Difference is not always accepted in our community."

"There are lots of reasons (why people discriminate) but the big one is fear. People are comfortable with what they are familiar with, and uncomfortable with what they are not familiar with.

"That's natural but what's not ok is reacting in a negative way," she said.

Living Books is a free event and includes personal support assistance and deaf interpreters, along with live entertainment, food stalls, information stalls and children’s activities. 

Here is just a sample of some of the incredible real life triumphs you will experience:

Djerami Gkuthaarn Callope
Born on Wurundjeri country in Melbourne, Djerami’s family moved to Normanton when he was four. The youngest school captain for two consecutive years, Djerami experienced significant cultural upheaval when he moved from a small community school to a large city boarding school.

From studying a Bachelor of Indigenous Studies and Creative Arts at JCU, Djerami now works as a film maker and trainer. He is strongly rooted in his cultural values and teaches local Indigenous people how to record their knowledge, stories and traditional ways.

Judy Andrews
A teacher, lawyer, women’s shelter worker and Counsellor, land rights campaigner, one of the original ”Kuranda hippies” and a passionate long-time human rights activist. Judy has dedicated her life to advocating and lobbying for reform in our legal systems.

A founder of Cairns Community Legal Centre and a long-time worker at FAPS (Families and  Prisoners Support), Judy’s story encompasses her close involvement with some of the most significant milestones in Australia’s political and social history.

Marc Harris
Raised in a disadvantaged family with seven siblings, Marc developed a mental illness  and began hearing voices following substance abuse and the death of a close friend.  After seeking help to manage his illness, Marc is  now a strong advocate for people living with mental illness. Listen to his story and you will come away with a deeper understanding of a widely misunderstood condition.