Amnesty International USA - August 2006 Charity-of-the-Month

Amnesty International USA
5 Penn Plaza
New York, NY 10001
phone: 1-212-807-8400
email: aimember@aiusa.org
web: http://www.amnestyusa.org/

Founded in London in 1961, Amnesty International is a Nobel Prize-winning grassroots activist organization with over 1.8 million members worldwide. Amnesty International undertakes research and action focused on preventing and ending grave abuses of the rights to physical and mental integrity, freedom of conscience and expression, and freedom from discrimination, within the context of its work to promote all human rights. Amnesty International USA (AIUSA) is the U.S. section of Amnesty International.

Amnesty International Secretary General Irene Khan.

Our Mission

Amnesty International’s vision is of a world in which every person enjoys all of the human rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international human rights standards.

In pursuit of this vision, Amnesty International’s mission is to undertake research and action focused on preventing and ending grave abuses of the rights to physical and mental integrity, freedom of conscience and expression, and freedom from discrimination, within the context of its work to promote all human rights.

Amnesty International is independent of any government, political ideology, economic interest or religion. It does not support or oppose any government or political system, nor does it support or oppose the views of the victims whose rights it seeks to protect. It is concerned solely with the impartial protection of human rights.

Amnesty International has a varied network of members and supporters around the world. At the latest count, there were more than 1.8 million members, supporters and subscribers in over 150 countries and territories in every region of the world. Although they come from many different backgrounds and have widely different political and religious beliefs, they are united by a determination to work for a world where everyone enjoys human rights.

Amnesty International is a democratic, self-governing movement. Major policy decisions are taken by an International Council made up of representatives from all national sections.

Amnesty International’s national sections and local volunteer groups are primarily responsible for funding the movement. No funds are sought or accepted from governments for Amnesty International’s work investigating and campaigning against human rights violations.

Make a difference
Join Amnesty International’s fight to defend human rights and protect lives. Sign on to our campaigns to:

* Abolish the death penalty
* Oppose abuses related to the "War on Terror"
* Denounce Torture: Stop it now!
* Stop violence against women
* End the uncontrolled proliferation and misuse of arms
* Demand change in multinational corporations

A Sudanese girl from Darfur at Koukou refugee camp. The conflict in Darfur has led to some of the worst human rights abuses imaginable, including systematic and wide-scale murder, rape, torture, abduction and displacement.© AI

Amnesty International USA is currently doing all it can to help end the crisis in Darfur. The conflict there has led to some of the worst human rights abuses imaginable, including systematic and wide-scale murder, rape, torture, abduction and displacement. Thanks to pressure from Amnesty activists and their allies, President Bush signed a bill in June that would support efforts to stop the violence. There's still a long way to go to end this human rights catastrophe.

Amnesty International has again raised the urgency of its work on Darfur in an effort to stop the atrocities taking place there, but they need your help to make peace and security a reality. Help them make a difference. Your voice is a crucial part of this effort.

Sign their petition to help stop the violence in Darfur today!
http://darfur.amnestyusa.org/petition/

Despite international outrage over the massive loss of life in Darfur, no one has been brought to justice for war crimes or crimes against humanity. You can help us make sure these crimes don’t go unpunished.

Take action.
http://darfur.amnestyusa.org/justice /

For 100 days this summer, Amnesty activists across the globe will mobilize to take action, raise awareness, organize events, and call on world leaders to ensure the safety and security of people in the Darfur region.

Join this worldwide movement.
http://darfur.amnestyusa.org/100days/

Learn more about AIUSA’s work on Darfur.
http://darfur.amnestyusa.org/

Amnesty International USA
5 Penn Plaza
New York, NY 10001
phone: 1-212-807-8400
email: aimember@aiusa.org
web: http://www.amnestyusa.org/

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Non-Profit at The Vans Warped Tour Summer 2006

Amnesty International is one of the many non-profits featured at during the 2006 Warped Tour. The Warped Tour and ‘Take Action!’ have teamed up to showcase a variety of non-profit organizations in the hope that the music lovers (our country’s youth) attending these shows will learn about the many ways they can get involved with non-profit organizations, contribute and cause a positive social change. For more information about the non-profits involved and 'Take Action!’, please follow this link:
http://warpedtour.com/static_content/view/take_action.html

One of the many venues for the Non-Profit Take Action! tent area at 2006 Warped Tour. © 2006

Above four images are Copyright © 2006 Charity.com / Cowabunga Productions. All Rights Reserved. For image use or publication, please contact Charity.com

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WARPED TOUR 2006 – PIT BLOG

Entry:
Wed July 19 @ 07:28 PM
- by Andria, from the Take Action! team at Warped Tour

My name is Andria and I work for Take Action! the non-profit area on the Warped Tour. Today is my second day in Canada (ever) and I've already had a huge culture shock. Despite the difference in currency, temperature, and language, I've noticed that Canadian fans are more punk rock than given credit for. Set aside the clothing and hair dye for a second and think back to what being "punk" is all about. At some point you will realize that living a punk lifestyle encourages you to stand for what you believe in no matter what people think. You (and other fans) sing along to lyrics from Anti-Flag and The Casualties, who have their own beliefs, but when was the last time you stopped and took a stand for what YOU believe in? That's where Take Action! at Warped comes in.

Every day Take Action! brings out different non-profits with the goal to get kids involved in a cause, and to "take action" for what they believe in. The Take Action! area is also home to several other non-profits who are on the entire tour (Boarding for Breast Cancer, The ONE Campaign, Music For America, and Warped Recycling). Of course there are some people who think signing petitions, and supporting non-profits is silly, but Canadian fans beg to differ. Since the tour started in June I have never seen more kids interested in the Take Action! area then I have today when doors opened. With as little as pamphlets, petitions, and paper butterflies, Amnesty International captured the attention of music fans in Vancouver, drawing flocks of people to our area. (C'mon United States .. where's your passion?)

The goal of Amnesty International is to promote justice, equality, and freedom. Who can't relate to that? Today at Warped Tour Amnesty is concentrating on getting justice for the surviving "Comfort Women" of Japan. The term "Comfort Women" is used to describe Japanese women and girls who were captured during World War II and used by the Japanese Imperial Army as sex slaves. Over 200,000 women through out China, Taiwan, Philippines, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaya, and Burma were kept in captivity for this purpose alone. Beginning in 1992, and every Wednesday since, the Comfort Women of South Korea protest in front of the Japanese Embassy in Seoul hoping to get justice for what happened almost 61 years ago. During these protests the women wave paper butterflies along with their signs. In order to help the Comfort Women Don and Jeremy Wright, a father / son team and Amnesty Reps are here at Warped Tour collecting paper butterflies designed by fans. I couldn't help but notice some of the butterflies had been decorated with peace signs, and sayings like, "the truth is out there, why don't you let the world find it," and it made me smile. Seeing fans passionate about a cause, and getting involved in simple acts like signing petitions, or coloring butterflies is what our area is all about. Don explained to me that the goal of the butterfly campaign is to get the Japanese government to give compensation to the comfort women who are still alive. Amnesty International will be sending all of the butterflies collected today (and at other events this month) to the Embassy of Japan in August. However, you don't have to be a Warped attendee to help Amnesty and the Comfort Women. If you would like to help out please send your decorated butterfly cut out to this address before August 1st:

His Excellency Sadaaki Numata
Ambassador
Embassy of Japan
255 Sussex Drive
Ottawa, Ontario
K1N 9E6
Canada

With that said, let this be a challenge to fans in the rest of the states and provinces we are visiting on the tour. Take time out of your day to come to the Take Action! area and check out what the non-profits are all about. Whether you like it, hate it, or don't care, voice your opinion and be heard! You could end up changing lives.

To get involved with Amnesty International Canada head over to their website at www.amnesty.ca and get back to your punk roots.

(Pit Blog entry located at http://warpedtour.com/blog/entry/151 )