Amnesty International's Annual Write-a-Thon 2008
We held a "Write-a-Thon" on Sunday, December 7th, 2008 from 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. at the Central Library in Mississauga (near Square One). There was a table in the atrium with information on Amnesty International and Human Rights issues. Visitors were able to help make a difference by signing various petitions.
[Note: This December 7th event took the place of our regular November and December meetings]
Presentation by Alex Neve
(Secretary General of Amnesty International Canada)
"Putting Human Rights First"
On November 30th at 10:30 a.m. Alex Neve (Secretary General of Amnesty International Canada) gave a talk at the Unitarian Congregation Church of Mississauga - 84 South Service Road (near Highway 10) entitled "Putting Human Rights First". This talk was part of their weekly service.
Taste forJustice
On October 26, 2008 we held a "Taste for Justice" lunch at which we enjoyed fellowship while contributing to Amnesty International., and signing petitions.
Write for Rights 2007
We were at the Atrium (main entrance) of the Mississauga Central Library holding a write-a-thon for Human Rights Day on Sunday, December 9 from 1 pm to 5 pm. We had a display and letters to sign for this important event.
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Canada Day 2007
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Group 130 was once again part of the Canada Day celebrations at Mississauga City Hall on Sunday, July 1st with an information table.
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Canada Day 2006
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Group 130 was again part of the Canada Day celebrations at Mississauga City Hall on Saturday, July 1st. We had an information table with petitions, AI Candle, tattoos for kids of all ages, and enthusiastic volunteers ready to converse about Amnesty's important human rights work.
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Write for Rights Letter-Writing with Local High School Students
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On May 26, 2006, the Mississauga group of Amnesty International co-ordinated a letter-writing effort with 6 local high schools. Students at these schools learned of the story of Kimy Pernía Domicó, a leader of the Embera Katio people in Colombia. They then wrote letters to President Alvaro Uribe Velez of Colombia, detailing their concerns over this case.
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Background Information
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Kimy Pernía Domicó was a prominent defender of the rights of indigenous peoples in Colombia. He came to Canada twice to speak out against a dam project - partially funded by Export Development Canada. Kimy testified before a Canadian parliamentary committee in 1999 about the devastating impact of the Urra hydroelectric mega-project on the health and well being of his people, the Embera Katio. On the evening of June 2, 2001, three armed gunmen, thought to be army-backed paramilitaries, abducted Kimy Pernía Domicó. His family and friends have not seen him since. Five years later an official investigation into what happened has yet to release its findings. Kimy’s fate is still unknown. No-one has faced justice for making him "disappear".
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Amnesty at International Women's Day event at UTM
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The Mississauga group of Amnesty International (AI) was on hand to recognize and celebrate the International Women's Day event at University of Toronto, Mississauga campus. The event, held on March 16 in the UTM Student Centre, helped AI to raise awareness of its human rights work and connect with university students interested in becoming Amnesty members.
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Letter-Writing Marathon on Sunday December 11, 2005
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At the Group meeting on December 11, 2005 we wrote a total of 57 letters concerning cases involving individuals in Nigeria, Democratic Republic of Congo, Myanmar, Indonesia, Colombia (2), Uzbekistan, Syria and Canada. As well, we sent one greeting card of support and encouragement to prisoners of conscience in Turkey, Morocco and Turkmenistan.
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Canada Day 2005
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As every year, we were at the Canada Day event at City Hall.
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Write for Rights 2 - February 25, 2005
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The Mississauga Group of Amnesty International held a "Write for Rights" event on Friday February 25, involving some 6,000 students at ten high schools in Brampton, Caledon and Mississauga. The schools are Notre Dame Secondary School, Robert F. Hall Catholic Secondary School, Harold Braithwaite Secondary School, Father Michael Goetz Secondary School, Iona Catholic Secondary School, Our Lady of Mount Carmel High School, St Aloysius Gonzaga High School, St. Edmund Campion Secondary School, St. Joseph's Secondary School, and St. Joan of Arc Secondary School.
The students wrote personal letters to president Uribe of Colombia, insisting on protection for Yolanda Becerra, president of the Grassroots Women's Organization Organizacion Feminina Popular (OFP). (More information on the situation in Colombia and the Mississauga Group’s “Action File” can be found at the appropriate Tab on this website).
Speakers from Amnesty International made presentations at two of the schools to promote social consciousness amongst our youth.
Last year the Group organized a similar letter writing event, which resulted in some 3,000 letters being sent to President Álvaro Uribe of Colombia. This letter-writing effort was on behalf of Rodolfo Rios Lozano, a human rights lawyer who received several death threats, from right-wing paramilitaries, as a result of the legitimate work he was doing on behalf of human rights activists in the Aracua department of Colombia.
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Amnesty International - Group 130 - Mississauga © 2003
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