Tomorrow Belfast Festival at Queen's it's starting

Ireland's biggest international arts festival. This year they are celebrating their 50th anniversary! October 19th - November 4th 2012

From small beginnings the festival grew through the 1960s and 1970s, expanding to a two week long event. Performers during this time included Jimi Hendrix, Laurence Olivier, Rowan Atkinson and Billy Connolly.

The festival is held at many venues across the city, including the Mandela Hall, the Naughton Gallery, the QFT and the Whitla Hall at Queen's, as well as the Grand Opera House, the Waterfront Hall and the Cultúrlann centre.

Follow the festival on 

Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/mybelfastfestival

Twitter - @BelfastFestival

opening

Fifty fanfares tomorrow in Victoria Square at 5.30 pm (free admission),

a specially commissioned work by belfast composer Michael Alcorn in celebration of the 50th Belfast at Queen's.

Evs will be in:-)

Malala, a young campaigner for education for girls

I am Malala 

Written by
WIMPS Web Editor

Posted onOctober 15th

0Comments

 

Malala Yousafzai is 14 years old. She wants education for girls in her country Pakistan.

Although only 14 years old, Malala was well known as a campaigner for education for girls. 

She was attacked on October 10 as she was returning home from school in Mingora in north-western Swat. This week she is expected to be flown to the UK for medical treatment.

 

The BBC reports “Two armed men, on foot, stopped a van packed with about a dozen schoolgirls in a congested area of the town.

 

“One of them got into the van and asked which of the girls was Malala Yousafzai before he fired three shots, hitting Malala in the head and injuring two others.

 

“The Taliban has warned they will target Malala Yousafzai again.” 

 

Four people have been arrested in connection with the attack.

 

Former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who is now the UN's Special Envoy for Global Education, said he was launching a petition in Malala's name "in support of what Malala fought for".

 

Find out more and join the petition here 

 

You can also read Malala’s diary posted on the BBC website.

16 and 17 year olds will be allowed to vote

Votes at 16 in the Scottish Referendum – our 

reaction

October 10, 2012 - 2:32 pm from voteat16.org

It’s been announced today that 16 and 17 year olds will be allowed to vote in the Referendum on Scottish Indepedence, subject to approval by Prime Minister David Cameron and Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond in ‘the next few days’.

Votes at 16 campaigner, and British Youth Coucil Trustee, Marc Kidson (24) had this to say about the announcement:

“This is a really encouraging development and one that we at the Votes at 16 Coalition support wholeheartedly. We really hope that David Cameron and Alex Salmon do the right thing and allow 16 and 17 year olds in Scotland the right to have a say in such an important decision that will make a big difference to their futures.

However, while this would be a step in the right direction, the Coalition believes that all 16 and 17 year olds should be given the vote in all public elections and referendums in the UK. At the age of 16, young people are legally allowed to leave school and enter work or training, consent to sexual relationships, get married or enter a civil partnership and join the armed forces. We believe that giving 16 and 17 year olds the right to vote in all public elections and referendums is the logical next step.”

news about Pussy Riot

Last news from Amnesty International Northern Ireland site

http://www.amnesty.org.uk

Pussy Riot: Russian court orders conditional release of one, other two jailed

Posted: 10 October 2012 The decision by a Moscow court to give Ekaterina Samutsevich a suspended sentence and release her while upholding jail sentences against Maria Alekhina and Nadezhda Tolokonnikova is only a half-measure in achieving justice for the three members of feminist punk group Pussy Riot, Amnesty International said. “Any decision that shortens the wrongful detention of the three women is welcome. But no-one should be fooled – justice has not been done today. The government has introduced numerous new restrictions to freedom of expression in recent months. As this decision demonstrates, Russia’s judiciary is unlikely to offer much protection to those who fall foul of them”, said David Diaz-Jogeix, Europe and Central Asia Deputy Programme Director. “The three women should not have been prosecuted in the first place.  Maria Alekhina and Nadezhda Tolokonnikova should also be released immediately and unconditionally”, said David Diaz-Jogeix.   The organization considers the three convicted Pussy Riot members – Maria Alekhina, Ekaterina Samutsevich and Nadezhda Tolokonnikova - to be prisoners of conscience wrongfully prosecuted and convicted solely for the peaceful expression of their beliefs.

Wimps in rockin' river

Rockin' on a River Saturday 20th October from 12 pm to 16 pm The Belfast Barge 1 Lanyon Quay, Belfast BT1 3LG

Music and fun long the afternoon, along the river:-)

Come to meet us!

Amnesty International for free PUSSY RIOT

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT

FREE PUSSY RIOT!

If you wish to take action, these are the last days.. read below and sign the petition!

http://action.amnesty.org.uk/ea-action/action?ea.client.id=1194&ea.campaign.id=16482&utm_source=aiuk&utm_medium=Homepage&utm_campaign=IAR&utm_content=pr_appeal_main

Support Pussy Riot’s appeal for justice

  ACTION TYPE     EMAIL 

Tell their prosecutors that it’s not too late to grant justice to Pussy Riot and protect, not punish, free speech. Take action

Three Russian women, imprisoned for speaking out

Maria Alekhina, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova and Ekaterina Samutsevich were each sentenced to two years in prison on 17 August 2012, after a Moscow court found them guilty of ‘hooliganism… on grounds of religious hatred’ for performing as members of feminist punk collective Pussy Riot in an Orthodox cathedral in early 2012. The Moscow courts must respect the women’s right to free speech and release them.

Punk prisoners of conscience

We believe that the three women have been punished for their politically-charged messages and challenging of the Russian State authorities – not, as the courts claim, for ‘religious hatred’ and ‘hooliganism’. They’re prisoners of conscience, sentenced for speaking out.

Relentless persecution by authorities

We’re concerned that two other members of Pussy Riot, not charged alongside the three detained women, are on a Moscow police ‘wanted list’. The city authorities have launched a clear campaign of criminal persecution against the members of Pussy Riot. We’re asking for the persecution to stop.

Appeal imminent

Pussy Riot’s appeal will be heard before the Moscow court on 10 October (delayed from its original date of 1 October 2012).

We will continue to ask the Moscow authorities to reconsider their treatment of Maria Alekhina, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova and Ekaterina Samutsevich. We need your help.

Use the form below to email the Prosecutor overseeing the case in Moscow, and the Russian Ambassador to the UK.

Alexander Vladimirovich Yakovenko    Alexander Vladimirovich Yakovenko

Ambassador of the Russian Federation to the UK

Yuri Yakovlevich Chaika    Yuri Yakovlevich Chaika

Prosecutor General of the Russian Federation

 

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  A gallery of pictures from the many protests around the world to support Free Pussy Riothttp://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/picturegalleries/worldnews/9482820/Masked-Pussy-Riot-supporters-stage-demonstrations-around-the-world.html?frame=2313036

join our campaign

Do you think the voting age should be

reduced to 16? We do and we think

there are good reasons to. If you do,

then join our campaign

http://wimps.tv/campaigns/votes-at-16/