Amnesty International Lethbridge Hosts 5th Annual Write for Rights

INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS DAY – December 10, 2011

Round Street Cafe – 427 – 5th Street South

December 10, 2011, 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm

Show your support for HUMAN RIGHTS around the globe by joining us to write letters to help prisoners of conscience, human rights defenders under threat, and vulnerable communities facing ongoing abuse of their human rights.

This year we are hoping to write 1000 letters with YOUR HELP as well as the help of community groups and organizations in Lethbridge.

FREE PUBLIC EVENT, please join us in our write-a-thon, enjoy live music, refreshments, door prizes and a silent auction.

We will proved the pens, paper, letter appeals, and stamps!

As well we will be doing a greeting card campaign to give messages of hope to prisoners of conscience.

Thanks to our musicians:  Dale Ketcheson, Collin McInnes, and Floyd Sillito

Thanks to our donors:  Round Street Cafe, Ten Thousand Villages, Two Guys and a Pizza Place, Jasmine Tea Room, Showcase Comics, Napa Auto Parts Coaldale, Naturistas, Conscious Crafter, Darcie Sharp, and Harald.

Community participants hosting their own Write for Rights:

Local bible study group

Curves South

Pemmican Lodge

Black Rock Terrace

Gilbert Paterson Middle School

Winston Churchill High School

Victoria Park High School

OUTreach Southern Alberta Society

If your organization or group is interested in hosting your own Write for Rights please contact Darcie sharpd@telus.net

For more information visit www.amnesty.ca/writeathon

Join our local Amnesty team in the Write for Rights pledge campaign: http://amnesty.akaraisin.com/amnestywriteforrights2011/teamlethbridgeamnesty

A mailbox will be available at Round Street Cafe during the month of December so that you can write letters all month long!

http://ai50.ca/

Eyes on the Middle East: Film Night & Panel Discussion

Lethbridge – Amnesty International Lethbridge and the Lethbridge Public Library invite you to join
them on November 23, 2011 for the screening of Al Jazeera’s “Bahrain: Shouting in the Dark”,
followed by a panel discussion.

The Middle East and North Africa is currently a region where countless numbers of women and
men are working to strengthen and promote human rights for all. This work is done in spite of the
fact that human rights are not widely respected by the governments in the region. The abuses
have grown much worse since the Arab Spring began in December 2010. Since then thousands
have been mercilessly killed by their own governments, militaries, and police services.

The film follows the revolutions of the small island kingdom in the Arabian Gulf where people
fighting for democratic rights broke the barriers of fear, only to find themselves alone and crushed.

Following the screening there will be a panel discussion and a question period for the audience.
Free refreshments will be available at the event.

The panellists include Dr. Trevor Harrison, the chair of the Sociology Department at the University
of Lethbridge; Thabit Alomari, a graduate student in the Anthropology Department who has studied
and lived in the Middle East; and Don Wright, the Regional Development Coordinator for Amnesty
International Canada.

Please join us for an act of solidarity on behalf of all those who have been jailed, murdered, or
disappeared, during their fight for basic human rights during the Arab Spring revolutions.

For more information, please contact Amnesty International Lethbridge at 403-308-4944.

Film screening of Al Jazeera’s “Bahrain: Shouting in the Dark” and a panel
discussion on the Arab Spring

Bring blankets and lawn chairs if you would like.
Please bring pictures of loved ones who have been affected by violence.

For more information, see the newly released report by Native Women’s Association of Canada:
http://www.nwac.ca/sisters-spirit-research-report-2010

or see Amnesty International’s 2009 report on Stolen Sisters:
http://www.amnesty.ca/amnestynews/upload/AMR200122009.pdf

There will be snacks, entertainment, and of course, letters for human rights! We are trying to write the most letters in Canada in one night – we hope you can join us!

Start Time: 19:00
Date: 2011-12-10

Refreshments will be available all night (Thanks to Round Street Cafe!), as well as crafts and activities for children!

Start Time: 19:00
Date: 2011-12-06

Refreshments will be available all night (Thanks to Round Street Cafe!), as well as crafts and activities for children!

Start Time: 19:00
Date: 2011-12-10

Amnesty International Lethbridge’s “Demand Dignity” 5 Km Run/Walk: Fundraiser to support Amnesty International’s work towards raising awareness and taking action on the human rights violations that lead to global poverty.

Start Time: 09:30
Date: 2011-09-17
End Time: 13:00

Join us for Amnesty International Lethbridge’s monthly letter writing circle! Come and write letters for Burmese monk U Gambira, our adopted prisoner of conscience. Come and meet other people who care about social justice.

Refreshments will be available all night (Thanks to Round Street Cafe!), as well as crafts and activities for children!
Start Time: 19:00
Date: 2011-06-07

A particular thanks for helping us make the Write for Rights event a success:

Kathleen Thomson at the Jasmine Room for her generous donation of a beautiful basket as well as a gift certificate.

Cory Medd from Two guys and a Pizza Place, who generously donated a 50 dollar gift certificate.

Andrea Tapp at the Warner Library

Jenna from Jenna’s Sugar Cookies for the gift certificate for two dozen cookies.

Eileen at The Penny Coffee House, who donated 20 dollars in gift certificates.

Bonnie at the Round Street for allowing us to host our events at her business as well as providing us with tasty treats at all events.

Josee Meere from Josee’s Home Made Imports for her continuing support and donations.

Thanks to all of you, Amnesty would not be able to do the work they do without you!

“On this third anniversary of the Saffron Revolution, Amnesty International calls on world leaders to demand that the Myanmar government free all political prisoners at once, and ensure human rights protection throughout the elections period and beyond”, said Benjamin Zawacki.