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AGM 1999 Recap  AGM 1999 Introduction Human Rights Here and Now! AGM Preview Event Summary |
Human Rights Here and Now! Educating for the Future Where, after all, do universal 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 she attends; the factory, farm or office where they work. 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 concerned citizen action to uphold them close to home, we shall look in vain for progress in the large world.These words serve as inspiration for Amnesty activists as we continue our 50th anniversary celebration of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. We are applying the standards in this cornerstone document close to home as we participate this year in the international campaign against human rights violations here in the United States. Education is and always will be an essential component of our work. First, we educate ourselves. We hone our skills and learn about issues through trainings, teach-ins, and conferences. Campaign and case materials teach us the facts we need. As we learn, we grow stronger in our beliefs and more effective in our actions. We educate others. We share our knowledge with group members, other activists in our organization, and other organizations with which we are building coalitions. We spread human rights awareness throughout our communities, and serve as human rights resources for our policy makers. Some of us are laying a human rights foundation as we teach in our schools. This year's Annual General Meeting, "Human Rights Here and Now! Educating for the Future," will spotlight the creative ways we are deepening our knowledge, improving our skills, and strengthening our outreach and action work. Volunteers and staff from Amnesty and other organizations will share successful projects, programs, and approaches to teaching and learning about human rights. Human rights education cuts across all issues and all forms of activism within Amnesty. The incredible concentration and diversity of human rights organizations in the Twin Cities makes Minneapolis a perfect place to immerse ourselves in this theme. These organizations assist refugees, asylum-seekers, and victims of torture; they educate the community about the needs and rights of immigrants; teach about human rights in the Americas and throughout the world; lead campaigns on child labor issues; and serve as advocates on food and trade policy and housing issues. They train teachers, professionals, and community activists to bring the human rights message into the classroom, where students are becoming effective activists as well. We hope you will join us in Minneapolis as we learn from this well-established network of local organizations, and from Amnesty activists, old and new. Share your successes and strategies, make new connections, and enjoy the company of those committed to human rights action, as we all work towards progress in the large world. |
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