Andrew Woolford is an Associate Professor of Sociology and Criminology
and Social Justice Research Coordinator at the University of Manitoba. He is author of “The Politics of Restorative Justice: A Critical Introduction” and “Between Justice and Certainty: Treaty Making in British Columbia.”

Choloe Chapple is currently working for MCIC as the Sustainable
Development Community Initiatives Coordinator. Choloe graduated from the University of Winnipeg with a double major in Politics and Conflict Resolution. Choloe’s focus is social justice and human rights.

Fair trade is an organized social movement that aims to help producers obtain better trading conditions and promote sustainability. The movement advocates the payment of a higher price to producers as well as social and environmental standards.

Thanks to Sister Norma for providing these products for us to sell and support the women in Peru and Mali.

Multinational coffee companies now rule our shopping malls and supermarkets and dominate the industry worth over $80 billion, making coffee the most valuable trading commodity in the world after oil.

But while we continue to pay for our lattes and cappuccinos, the price paid to coffee farmers remains so low that many have been forced to abandon their coffee fields.

Nowhere is this paradox more evident than in Ethiopia, the birthplace of coffee. Tadesse Meskela is one man on a mission to save his 74,000 struggling coffee farmers from bankruptcy. As his farmers strive to harvest some of the highest quality coffee beans on the international market, Tadesse travels the world in an attempt to find buyers willing to pay a fair price.

Against the backdrop of Tadesse’s journey to London and Seattle, the enormous power of the multinational players that dominate the world’s coffee trade becomes apparent. New York commodity traders, the international coffee exchanges, and the double dealings of trade ministers at the World Trade Organisation reveal the many challenges Tadesse faces in his quest for a long term solution for his farmers.

 After the documentary, we had a roundtable discussion about the film and what was properly represented and what wasn’t. We learned a lot about fair trade and that consumers need to be educated about fair trade, as they are crucial in making a difference.

Thank you to those who came out and planned the documentary night and made it a success!

The Rights and Democracy Network Student Delegation at the U of M has invited special guest, Elana Wright, to lead an information session about the Network. This informative workshop, taking place next Wednesday November 3rd, will provide students with various opportunities for volunteering, internships, and other forms of global involvement. Come and check out what the Rights and Democracy Network is all about! Our presentation is one of many that are taking place for the University of Manitoba’s World Opportunities Week: http://www.umanitoba.ca/student/ics/wwise/wow_2010.html

We also are planning on having either a documentary night or our signature event, Human Rights Over Coffee, within the next month. Stay tuned for more details!

We would like to start off by saying a big THANK YOU to all of our delegation members who worked tirelessly in the planning of this event, the University of Manitoba Students Union who provided many services for us, the Rights and Democracy Network in Montreal who gave us direction and support, and all others who helped or participated in our event this year.

Delegation Members

Overall, our event was a success! Our week-long campaign included events such as an information booth with a location for donation of panties, the World Cafe Round Table Discussion, a documentary night showing the Oscar nominated Burma VJ, as well as a social featuring a great local band: Table 21. After our many events, during the week of March 8-12 (International Womyn’s Week), we displayed our collection of panties for public viewing in our campus’ Gallery of Student Art (GoSA).

We were able to raise awareness and educate others on the current state of Burma, with specific attention paid to the Burmese women. Participants learned a lot and provided fruitful discussion, comments, and feedback. In accordance with the Panties for Peace campaign, we plan to send our pantie donations to the Embassy of the Union of Myanmar in Ottawa, and pictures of our collected panties directly to the Senior General Than Shwe in Burma. For more info about Panties for Peace, check: http://www.pantiesforpeace.ca

GoSA Gallery

Panties Display in Gallery

Monday February 1, 2010 – Human Rights over Coffee with Special Guest: Mika Levesque

Time – 7:00 to 9:00 pm

Location – Concourse Lounge, University College 220 Dysart Road

Description – Mika Levesque, the Regional Agent for Asia at Rights & Democracy, will be our guest speaker at our first coffee house of 2010. She will be speaking to us regarding the various human rights violations taking place in Burma as well as the Panties for Peace campaign, and what it is doing to raise awareness about these atrocities. Come out and enjoy a great talk followed by a short question and answer period, as well as a free cup of fair trade coffee from Ten Thousand Villages and some finger food!

Tuesday February 2, 2010 – World Café / Round Table Discussion / FAQ

Time –12:00 to 2:00 pm

Location – UMSU Council Chambers, 176 Helen Glass

Description – All students are welcome to join a round table discussion about the various topics surrounding Burma, including the Panties for Peace Campaign, the Saffron Revolution, as well as the underground video journalists and the violation of many basic human rights including the Freedom of Speech. This will be an informal discussion, with free lunch provided.

Thursday February 4, 2010 – Documentary: “Burma VJ”

Time – 7:00 to 10:00 pm

Location – 136 Frank Kennedy Centre

Description – “Going beyond the occasional news clip from Burma, the acclaimed filmmaker, Anders Østergaard, brings us close to the video journalists who deliver the footage. Though risking torture and life in jail, courageous young citizens of Burma live the essence of journalism as they insist on keeping up the flow of news from their closed country. Their material is smuggled out of the country and broadcast back into Burma via satellite and offered as free usage for international media. The film offers a unique insight into high-risk journalism and dissidence in a police state, while at the same time providing a thorough documentation of the historical and dramatic days of September 2007, when the Buddhist monks started marching.”

For more information, visit the website: http://www.burmavj.com

Saturday February 6, 2010 – Panties for Peace SOCIAL featuring TABLE 21!

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Time – 8:00 pm to 2:00 am

Location – Wise Guys on Campus, University Centre

Description – To get your social tickets:

Option 1: Exchange a CLEAN pair of panties for a social ticket!

Option 2: Donate a dollar, write your thoughts on a pair of panties, and exchange those for a social ticket!

Note: After 11:00 pm on Saturday February 6, social admission is $5.00

Information Booth

Date(s) and Times

- Monday February 1, 2010 – 11:00 am to 2:00 pm

- Wednesday February 3, 2010 – 9:00 am to 4:00 pm

- Friday February 5, 2010 – 11:00 am to 2:00 pm

- Saturday February 6, 2010 – 8:00 pm to 11:00 pm (*Location: Outside of Wise Guys)

Location – TBA (for Monday, Wednesday, and Friday it will be in University Centre)

Description – Information regarding the Panties for Peace Campaign, as well as our student group (Rights and Democracy Network U of M Delegation), will be available at our booth. Come by, learn a little about Burma, donate a pair of panties, and grab some free cookies and baked goods as well as Panties for Peace buttons! We will also be selling tickets to our social! Option 1: Exchange a CLEAN pair of panties for a social ticket; Option 2: Donate a dollar, write your thoughts on a pair of panties, and exchange those for a social ticket!

*Note: Decorated boxes will be available in each faculty student association office for the collection of panties throughout the week.

Lo

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Fair trade bracelet sale

Human Rights Over Coffee Series

Fair trade coffeehouse and concert

Western Regional Event: Sports and Human Rights

7:30pm – 9:00pm
The Park Theatre Cafe- Upstairs Loft Area
698 Osborne Street
Winnipeg, MB

Our special guest speaker this month is Dr. Lloyd Axworthy, former Minister of Foreign Affairs, who is currently working as the President of the University of Winnipeg. Dr. Axworthy has extensive experience and knowledge in international human rights topics. He played a significant role in the Ottawa Treaty/Mine Ban Treaty and was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize in 1997.

Dr. Axworthy will be addressing the subject of Human Rights and International Justice before our group, which is a timely topic considering the recent activity of the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the situation in Darfur. This free event is open to students and young professionals who would like to learn something new about international human rights in an informal setting. Come have a cup of coffee and join us!

The event on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=55803131181.