Tools for solidarity VIDEO

In the last days of November me and Aureliano were welcomed in the workshop of the
Tools for solidarity, an organisation in Belfast (but also in Downpatrick) which works to repair used tools and to send them to Africa. This workshop was to support the project Mwanza Sewing and Training Centre in Tanzania, where Tools have a partnership with SIDO- Small Industries Development Organisation - and was funded from the Government of Tanzania to support the tailoring sector, especially women's groups in rural areas.
This work is done by many volunteers from here but also coming from around the world; all together they work to give future to some of the poorest countries in the world, supporting their independent develop.
Good work TOOLS,
Thanks for the day.
This is the video!
Melissa & Aureliano
from Public Achievement

..ahn..and MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYBODY!

TOOLS FOR SOLIDARITY 2012

HUMAN RIGHTS WEEK

On Tuesday RightsNI.org, supported by Amnesty International and the Committee on the Administration of Justice (Caj), presented RIGHTSNILive!, an event to speak about this. The event couldn't be held at a more appropriate and thought-provoking building- Belfast's Crumlin Road Gaol, the city's main prison for 150 years. Through its history, it was the unwelcome home for suffragettes, internees, paramilitaries.

The guests of the night were people working in different ways about Human Rights. These people are trying everyday to tell stories of weak and unsafe people, to make them important, to make them protected. 

Rights Northern Ireland blog

It is important to think that in European countries many people live without all the rights guaranteed. The writers, directors, journalists and many other supporters of the rights campaigns are working in the belief that taking care and listening to the story of someone else is like taking care and listening to our story and our own world,
as Hegel said, We can be free only if all are free.

Speaking about HUMAN RIGHTS, yesterday as WIMPS we went to Y11 Little Flowers Girl's School.
The topic of the day was CITIZENSHIP, EQUALITY & DEMOCRACY.
Some activities and games were done to provoke observations and to discuss with them about how they are important in their own society.

Some ideas started from the concept of how to be involved in your society and to be a citizen.

Explaining some key points about democracy and freedom was important for them and is necessary for us to know the whole meaning of our everyday language, to remember that sometimes we are not completely aware what we're talking about.

The students wrote some comments about what is CITIZENSHIP means to them:

-when you are citizen in your community

-having somewhere to live

-working with people of different countries

-having friends, coming together, community, working together, family, helping -people who need it, 

-being good citizen in your country

-when your are active in your country

-having rights to live somewhere

-were the people work together and develop to make things better

-working with people in our community and people outside the area we know. all communities are connected.

-people have a role inside their communities and coming together

-place where you are born

It was interesting to see how many of them found the meaning of the word more a sense of community than a sense of country. This is a good way to see what they think would be resourceful in where they live everyday.

RightsNI & Amnesty on Tuesday 11 December

RightsNI Live!

Date: Tue 11 December 2012
Amnesty International and the Committee on the Administration of Justice present RightsNI Live! - an evening of great ideas from great speakers

An exciting list of expert speakers addressing a wide range of justice themes are coming together for an evening of human rights in the style of 'TEDtalks', presented bywww.RightsNI.org

The event couldn't be held at a more appropriate and thought-provoking building - Belfast's Crumlin Road Gaol, the city's main prison for 150 years. Through it's history, it was the unwelcome home for suffragettes, internees, paramilitaries and even ODCs, 'ordinary decent criminals'. Some whom were destined for the prison's gallows. As well as an evening of fantastic speakers, there will be an opportunity to see part of the Gaol.
A full list of speakers will be confirmed and published soon.
Tickets cost £6 (£4 unwaged)

Event Type	Lecture
Event venue	Crumlin Road Gaol.
Time	7:30pm - 22:00pm
Email	nireland@amnesty.org.uk
Price	£6.00

welcome vote@16!!

The #VotesAt16 motion carried by the Northern Ireland Assembly by 59 votes to 21. 

Well done to all involved.

students&reporters, are you ready? Amnesty call!

Student Human Rights Reporter Award

The Student Human Rights Reporter award recognises the very best in student journalism from universities and colleges across the UK.
The competition celebrates rising stars who are already proving they've got what it takes to expose the truth about human rights abuses, raise public awareness and put the spotlight on those responsible.
This is your chance to be named Student Human Rights Reporter of 2013 and win an exclusive package of prizes:  

• Up to $2,000 Pulitzer Student Travel Reporting Fellowship (pdf)
• Two weeks' work experience at the Observer
• A VIP invitation to the Amnesty International Media Awards 2013 to pick up their prize
• Plus an AIUK, NUS and Observer goodie bag

Competition deadline: 5pm 18 February 2013. Please read Terms & Conditions (pdf) first. The competition is open to any student studying in a UK university, higher education college or further education college who will still be studying on 18 February 2013.

Entry form: Please enter your report or article here

The Student Human Rights Reporter Award is run by Amnesty International UK, in partnership with NUS, The Observer and Pullitzer Center for Crisis Reporting.
Last year's winner was Amy Mackinnon (above) with her article The Curious Case of John Oguchuckwu for the Glasgow Guardian:
"Human rights journalism is not an end in itself, but rather a means to an end. My sincere hope for this article was to raise the profile of the way in which John was so ceremonially stripped of his human rights. I hope that this nomination will help to raise the profile of John's case, and the plight of thousands others like him."

http://www.amnesty.org.uk/content.asp?CategoryID=12225&utm_source=Email&utm_medium=monthly_email&utm_campaign=Students&utm_content=SHRR_award

how to support VOTE@16

Support lowering the voting age; what you can do. 

Written by
WIMPS Web Editor

Posted onOctober 25th

0Comments

The Assembly will be debating lowering the voting age. If you want to see the voting age lowered and want your voice in the debate, then here are some things you can do.

Green Party MLA Stephen Agnew has proposed the debate saying “The voting age should be reduced to sixteen for all elections and referendums.” His motion calls on the Westminster Government to introduce legislation to accommodate this change.

What you can do:

1 – Log into our website www.wimps.tv and go to the Votes at 16 Campaign Page and “Support This”

 

2 – Use the Contact Your Politicians webpage app to write to all of your Assembly members. If you are not sure what to say, you could cut and paste the message below.

 

3 – Talk to your friends and ask them to support the campaign and write to their MLAs.

 

4 – Visit your MLAs office and ask them to support the motion.

 

 

Here’s the letter to the politicians.

 

Dear [Politician's name],

I am writing to ask you to support WIMPS campaign to lower the voting age to 16.

 

In the UK, the age of consent is 16. People can marry at 16. They can join the armed forces and pay taxes at 16.

Young people are fellow citizens and we believe they should be consulted on the laws that affect them.

I believe that reducing the voting age would be good for democracy. There is evidence from Europe that young people will participate given the chance. In 1996 in the German city Hanover, for example:

 


- there was a 56.5% turnout of 16 and 17 year olds. 


- 41.1% of the 18 to 24 age group turned out to vote.

 

I am writing to ask you to support our campaign in the Assembly debate.

 

You can show your support by signing into the WIMPS campaign page at http://wimps.tv/campaigns/votes-at-16/ and clicking on the “Back This” button.

 

Thank you

 

Yours sincerely,

 

 


[your name]

 

---

on November 6th

Assembly to debate voting age 

Written by
WIMPS Web Editor

Posted onOctober 25th

0Comments

The Northern Ireland Assembly is expected to debate the voting age on 6 November.

MLA Stephen Agnew’s motion to debate the Voting Age has received support from Sinn Féin. Last year’s No Day Motion from Sinn Féin did not make it to the debating chamber.

In an interview on BBC Radio Ulster’s Talkback Karen Devlin who leads the WIMPS Votes at 16 campaign set out our arguments as to why she supports the lowering of the voting age in the wake of the agreement between the UK government and the Scottish Parliament.

 

Also on the programme Sandra Overend UUP MLA for Mid Ulster said that her party was “not against” and open to discussion on the subject. Barry McIlduff MLA for West Tyrone said that his party supports the lowering of the voting age. DUP who didn’t appear on the programme issued a statement to say they were opposed.

 

However in an interview with Karen last year DUP MP Jeffrey Donaldson indicated that he might be open to discussing the subject. Watch the video here.

 

Support our Votes at 16 and get politicians from across the political parties to take part in the debate and vote for lowering the voting age.