Amnesty International Conference
Amnesty International will hold its annual regional conference in Detroit this weekend.
The event, which will take place at the Doubletree Hotel, 525 W. Lafayette Blvd., is open to the public; the cost of attendance ranges from $25 to $60, on a sliding scale. This year's theme, Shine A Light: 50 Years of Activism, highlights Amnesty International's upcoming 50th anniversary.
For conference registration information click here.
"For almost 50 years, Amnesty International members around the world have proven time and again the power of grassroots activism," said Jamal Watkins, mid-west regional director for Amnesty International USA (AIUSA).
On Friday evening at 7:00 p.m., the conference kicks off with a screening of Frontline's World Guatemala: A Tale of Two Villages, which will be followed by a panel discussion examining the current state of immigration in the United States.
Panelists include: Professor David Koelsch of the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law; Mohammad Abdollabi, a young undocumented man from Iran who was arrested in Arizona last May when demonstrating in favor of the Dream Act; and Deb Drennan, executive director of Freedom House.
On Saturday morning at 9:00 a.m. conference-goers will hear from noted modern day human rights defenders, including Mexican activist Cipriana Jurado, an advocate for economic and environmental justice for more than 20 years.
At 12:30 p.m. activists will celebrate at a 50th Anniversary awards luncheon. AIUSA Executive Director Larry Cox, the keynote speaker, will highlight a half century of successful human rights activism and will discuss the future direction of the organization.
He will also recognize Rep. John Conyers (D-MI) for his lifelong commitment to upholding universal human rights.
On Sunday at 10:30 a.m., conference-goers will turn their attention to an issue that has been front-and-center locally: the right-sizing of Detroit.
Panelists will discuss implications for the human rights of inhabitants facing joblessness and reductions in essential services as Detroit's population continues to shrink.
Amnesty International is a Nobel Peace Prize-winning grassroots activist organization with more than 2.8 million supporters, activists and volunteers who campaign for universal human rights from more than 150 countries.
The organization investigates and exposes abuses, educates and mobilizes the public, and works to protect people wherever justice, freedom, truth and dignity are denied.
