Amnesty International Media Advisory
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
STUDENTS FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO CONVERGE IN BERKELEY
FOR AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL YOUTH SUMMIT
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John Jackson, MTV V.P. of Social Responsibility, Joins AI Secretary General Salil Shetty
to Discuss Activist Tactics with Tomorrow’s Human Rights Leaders
Contact: Wende Gozan Brown, [email protected], 212-633-4247
San Francisco — As Amnesty International (AI) commemorates 50 years of high-impact human rights work, young activists from across the nation will attend its national youth summit at UC Berkeley where they will participate in skill-building workshops, hear guest speakers and learn how to be effective activists at their schools and in their communities. Destination: Change our World, designed for young people age 14-25, will take place at the International House, University of California at Berkeley, 2299 Piedmont Avenue, on Thursday, March 17th.
“UC Berkeley’s rich history of student activism and public service is significant and provides the perfect setting for the Youth Summit,” said Stacy Suh, UC Berkeley Amnesty International Club representative and student organizer for the Youth Summit. “It is incredibly exciting to meet and learn from fellow youth activists from all over the country and the world. By the end, participants will be refreshed, inspired, and ready to change our world.”
Students from across the United States are expected to attend the summit. Guest speakers include AI Secretary General Salil Shetty, Amnesty International USA (AIUSA) Executive Director Larry Cox, MTV Vice President of Social Responsibility John Jackson, youth death penalty abolitionist De’Jaun Correia and Mariam Aziz, an Egyptian student at American University who has led protests at the White House and Egyptian Embassy. There will also be student representatives from AI Mexico and Canada. The youth summit is a precursor to AIUSA’s Annual General Meeting at San Francisco’s Fairmont Hotel, March 18-20th.
“It is young people’s fresh perspectives, innovative ideas and unparalleled enthusiasm that preserve the strong tradition of Amnesty International student activism,” said Cynthia Carrion, national youth program coordinator for AIUSA. “Students have always stood at the frontlines of the human rights movement. Their activism is critical to Amnesty International’s work.”
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WHAT: Amnesty International USA (AIUSA) Youth Summit
WHO: Youth from across the United States
WHERE: International House, University of California at Berkeley, 2200 Piedmont Avenue
WHEN: Thursday, March 17 from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
PRICE: Free if attending AIUSA’s Annual General Meeting from March 18-20; otherwise $10 for AIUSA members, $15 for non-members
For more information please visit www.amnestyusa.org/youthsummit.