Amnesty International Ireland: October 2008

Friday, October 3, 2008

New Resource for CSPE Teachers: Celebrating the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Celebrating the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Celebrating the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is a resource pack for Civic, Social and Political Education (CSPE) teachers and their students. Developed by Amnesty International Irish Section and the Curriculum Development Unit, it is written for first, second and third year students at second level, enabling them to explore and celebrate the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) sets out the principles for the rights of all people. Although sixty years have passed since the members of the United Nations first created it, its message is as strong as ever. It is an ideal theme for the core values associated with citizenship education. The resource pack provides active methodologies to explore the origins of the UDHR and the challenges faced after 60 years. Students are encouraged to reflect on their own ability to make a positive difference to human rights. The resource contains 12 classes, ideally taught as a complete module of work. An enclosed CD Rom contains a folder for each class with detailed teachers’ notes and a full set of supporting materials. It is possible to develop an action project from completing the module. The pack also contains an attractive poster containing the 30 articles of the UDHR for display in the classroom.

Copies of the pack will be available in every second level school in September 2008. Further information available from Ruth Gallagher, Human Rights Education Officer, Amnesty International at hre@amnesty.ie or telephone 01-863 8300.

UDHR at 60 Schools Resource:

Class One:

Class Two:

Class Three:

Class Four:

Class Five:

Class Six:

Class Seven:

Classes Eight, Nine, Ten and Eleven:

Class Twelve:

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Trek Vietnam 2009 Get Active for Amnesty

TREK VIETNAM - 12th to 21st March 2009

The beautiful area southwest of Hanoi offers some of Vietnam’s most breathtaking scenery and is fantastic trekking country. Home to a number of diverse indigenous communities we will travel through pristine jungle, over ancient mountain passes, around terraced paddy fields and visit local villages.

After six-days of spectacular trekking through the heart of Vietnam, we head to it’s charming capital, Hanoi, where we visit bustling markets, stroll down tree-lined avenues and soak up the elegant charm of the former French colonial city.

Take part in a real adventure whilst raising money and making a genuine contribution to our work for human rights in Ireland and around the world.

To ensure that all of our trekkers have the best experience possible, we have partnered with ACARA who will provide:

Help and advice on all aspects of the trek from start to finish.
Fundraising ideas, advice and support materials.
Guides, Accommodation & meals
Full back-up team on the ground.
Representatives from Amnesty & ACARA on the full trek.

See the full Itinerary PDF

For further information or to register please call Helen or Colette in the ACARA office on 01 4784505 or

E-mail amnesty@acara.ie

Mental Health Lobbying Network Thank you event

October 10 is World Mental Health Day. The global theme this year is citizen activism and advocacy to make mental health a global priority. To mark the event Amnesty International will hold a thank you party to celebrate our Mental Health Lobbying Network activists. If you are interested in mental health as a human rights issue please come along.

As part of our campaign to promote the right to the highest attainable standard of mental health, Amnesty International is facilitating this engagement of individuals through a Mental Health Lobbying Network. The network has been going from strength to strength over the last two years and we would like to celebrate your activism.

Ireland’s mental health policy framework, A Vision for Change, was published in January 2006. Now we have a framework, it is time to see some changes. It is time for individuals, as constituents, to voice their views to their Dáil Éireann representatives about how mental health services and supports are planned and delivered.

We invite everyone - services users, mental health professionals, teachers, you - to join this network. There is a vast constituency whose voices are not being heard by Government.

Together our voices are louder. We need your voice!

What we need you to do:

Each month a letter-writing action is issued to members of the Network, together with advice on how to lobby TDs. Regional training and capacity-building resources are available to Network members throughout the course of these actions.

The objective is that as many individuals as possible call, visit or write to their TD on the same day each month with the same issue and demand.

If you are interested in attending this event or going the Network please email mentalhealth@amnesty.ie or call

01 8638300

Annual Conference 2008

AI Irish Section is delighted to reveal that our new Executive Director, Colm O’ Gorman will deliver the keynote address at this year’s Annual Conference.

We’re looking forward to an exciting day where members have the opportunity to discuss their motions and constitutional amendments.

What: Amnesty International Irish Section Annual Conference 2008
When: Saturday, 18 October, 2008
Where: Hilton Dublin Hotel, Charlemont Place, Dublin 2
Website: http://www.hilton.com/
Please inspect here for accommodation listings in Dublin

Constitutional Amendments seek to change, repeal or add to the Amnesty International Irish Section Constitution, as it currently exists.

Motions seek to steer the work program of the Irish Section

We encourage all members to attend and give voice to your thoughts and opinions. Remember this is your opportunity, you are Amnesty!

Registration:

To register, please download the registration form (PDF or Word Doc)

Further guidelines and submission deadlines for conference motions and constitutional amendments are posted below:

1. Guide to Submitting Motions and Constitutional Amendments

2. Guide to Nomination to the Executive Committee

Thursday, October 2, 2008

SMALL PLACES TOUR

Where, after all, do universal human rights begin? In small places, close to home—so close and so small that they cannot be seen on any maps of the world. Yet they are the world of the individual person; the neighborhood he lives in; the school or college he attends; the factory, farm, or office where he works.

Such are the places where every man, woman, and child seeks equal justice, equal opportunity, equal dignity without discrimination. Unless these rights have meaning there, they have little meaning anywhere. Without concerted citizen action to uphold them close to home, we shall look in vain for progress in the larger world.”

Excerpt from a speech by Eleanor Roosevelt at the presentation of “IN YOUR HANDS: A Guide for Community Action for the Tenth Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.” Thursday, March 27, 1958. United Nations, New York

Amnesty International is marking the 60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights with the ‘Small Places Tour’. Inspired by Eleanor Roosevelt’s call for ‘concerted citizen action’ in her famous “small places” speech in 1958, musicians and fans will raise their voices in song and action in venues, cities, towns, communities, neighbourhoods and workplaces. Through hundreds of concerts held around the world, we will draw attention to urgent human rights concerns, recruit thousands of new human rights activists and, hopefully, raise much needed funds for Amnesty campaigns. Amnesty’s 2008 priority campaigns include working to stop violence against women, stopping torture, ending the killing in Darfur, controlling small arms, demanding the closure of Guantánamo, challenging China’s human rights record including its actions in Tibet and working for the release of Aung San Suu Kyi and other political prisoners in Burma.

The following are just a few of the ways artists and bands can become involved with the Small Places Tour and the work of Amnesty International. Nothing is too great or too small.

We just ask that you get involved:

Designate a concert (or concerts) as a Small Places Tour event
Donate all the proceeds from a concert
Take part performing in a major Amnesty Hub Concert around the world
Contact and recruit other artists to participate in Small Places events
Auction off life experience events (have lunch with, get a guitar lesson from, win a pre-show sound check/acoustic performance for you and your friends, be band’s live photographer, etc.)
Auction off one of a kind items (autographed set lists, autographed guitar/drum heads,etc from actual gigs, handwritten lyrics, personalized gold/platinum record awards
Auction off meet & greets in each city of their tour
Auction off premium seats for concerts during their fall tour
Designate a single, live tracks, non-LP track or a collection of bonus tracks exclusive to Amnesty and donate the proceeds from any downloads of the song(s).
Booths / tables at concerts and festivals. While this won’t raise immediate money it will help drive annual membership numbers.
Website links and banner ads from the artists’ website myspace pages to the Amnesty site.
Promote the UDHR 60th Anniversary & Amnesty campaigns in blogs and urge fans to sign-up.

Check out the artists performing in the Irish Small Places Tour

To register and get involved in The Small Places Tour in Ireland fill in the form.

For more information on this project and to see some of the artists who are supporting The Small Places Tour check out:

http://www.myspace.com/smallplacestour

http://www.youtube.com/smallplacestour

Come to play Bingo at the Electric Picnic 2008 and enter our competition to win 2 FREE tickets to a Small Places Tour event near you!

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