
_German Network member, Ahmad Mansour presided over a graduation ceremony for 16 German Muslim young men from the "Heroes" program, a year-long initiative in which teenagers from “honor”-based communities are challenged to question customs that violate equal rights. The Heroes program, which Ahmad co-directs, was founded to ensure that every person has the same opportunities and rights, regardless of his or her gender and cultural background. It aims to bring about change in “honor-based” communities which violate individual rights, one teenage boy at a time - by engaging them as they approach adulthood to think about human rights, and by providing them with a support network as they sort out which customs to uphold, and which ones need to be changed or rejected. Network member Sarah Mohamed, who has dedicated her life to helping the victims of honor crimes, addressed the Heroes graduates and commended them for their personal courage to stand up to their peers and families in order to bring about change.