Emmanuel Nyarko

Mahatma Gandhi Human Rights Organization

Our organization started to work following the example of Gandhi: the Indian leader had become famous by fighting against racism and discrimination in South Africa for over twenty years, advocating for civil rights using non-violence and civil disobedience. After returning to India in 1915, the Mahatma („Great Soul") emerged as the leader of his people in combating injustice and loudly demanding independence from the British Empire – finally gained in 1947, always practicing non-violent resistance. Gandhi was assassinated in 1948, but his ability to inspire millions of common people continues today: his birthday, October 2nd, is commemorated world-wide as the International Day of Non-Violence. Over the years, while working to combat racism and discrimination, our organization has implemented a number of projects, spacing from legal aid and counseling for migrants and refugees in Hungary to organizing African festivals and cultural events, to workshops and trainings on the Roma community and African culture, discrimination, tolerance and diversity in Budapest high schools. In this framework, we have always given a special attention to sport –mainly football- as a mean to fight discrimination and overcome communication difficulties among different people. In 1994 the Mahatma Gandhi Human Rights Organization was the first organization that created the African Stars football team, a team whose players are only refugees and migrants. The team participated in several tournaments and won a number of prizes, including first place in 2006 at the World Cup Against Racism tournment held every year in Italy. We enthusiastically partner with other international, governmental and non-governmental organizations who share our vision and goals to eradicate discrimination and human rights abuses, working to promote tolerance and to uphold human dignity and the rights of all people.