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.

Introduction

Human Rights and Sports? What’s the connection? Come out to the Rights and Democracy Network’s 2008 Western Regional Event on Human Rights and Sports from March 7-9, 2008 and find out. The event will be held on all three major Winnipeg university campuses: College universitaire de Saint-Boniface, the University of Manitoba and the University of Winnipeg. Come join us for great speakers, food and discussion all three days or whenever you can make it out.

Registration is FREE for all of these events, including meals; all you need to do is reply to this e-mail and let us know when you intend on coming. As well, we ask that you officially join the student network across Canada, which funds our events and makes it possible for everything to be free at: http://www.dd-rd.net/cms/site/en/membres/devenez_membre.htm.

Schedule

Here’s a rundown of what’s happening:

Friday March 7, 2008:

Location: College universitaire de St. Boniface: 200 de la Cathedrale ave. Centre etudiant Time: 4:00-9:00 pm Come hear Rights and Democracy’s China regional officer, Jean-Francois Le Sage, speak on the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games and its various human rights dimensions. Network members from Malsapina University from Nanaimo, British Columbia will be presenting a fair-trade sporting apparel fashion show. A delicious African dinner will be served and a film presentation will cap off the evening. The evening will be in English and French, so don’t be shy to come out!

Saturday, March 8, 2008

Time: 10:00 am -4:30 pm Location AM: 237 University College, University of Manitoba Location PM: St. John’s College multipurpose room, University of Manitoba Tanissa Martindale from the “Right to Play” will talk about ways in which sports are a vehicle for teaching young people around the world the importance of human rights and respect. We will be having great discussion time on women’s rights and sports and disabled athletes rights. Join us for a game of “Anarchist” soccer, a game that tangibly demonstrates how soccer brings people together.

Saturday Night social event: Location: Dylan O’Connor’s Irish Pub. 9-1875 Pembina Highway Time: 9:00 pm

What’s a conference without a big party? A great local band “Les Voyou’s” will be our musical guests for the evening. Come meet students from all around Winnipeg and Western Canada that believe in the importance of human rights advocacy locally and internationally.

Sunday March 9, 2008

Location: Rm.4M31 (Theatre A) University of Winnipeg Time: 9:30 am -1:00 pm Join us for brunch and speaker Dr. Raoul McKay, an indigenous scholar, who will be addressing Indigenous rights and sports.

We look forward to seeing you at our conference!

This month is the fair-trade challenge month all over Manitoba. The challenge is to only consume fair-trade teas, coffees and hot chocolate for the entire month. Amnesty International and the Rights and Democracy Delegation at U of M are happy to be hosting a fair-trade coffeehouse and concert this Thursday. You will have an opportunity to drink some great fair-trade coffee, while listening to great local artists like Jeremy Wells, Cruithne, and Jonny Moonbeam, followed by ’open mic’ music. 100% of the proceeds will going to construction of a primary school in Godah, Afghanistan for 1000 young girls and boys. The right to education and literacy skills are essential to children all over the world, so as you can see we are supporting two important causes: fair-trade and education rights. Come join us! There will also be great prizes being drawn.

When: Thursday February, 28 Where: Degree’s Diner at the University of Manitoba (third floor University Centre) Time: 7:00-10:00 p, cost: $5.00 -gets you unlimited fair-trade coffee and a great show

Everyone welcome and we look forward to seeing you!

On Wednesday, February, 13, the U of M Rights and Democracy delegation hosted their second “Human Rights over Coffee” event, held at The Fyxx in the Exchange District, and featuring locally and internationally respected human rights lawyer, David Matas. Mr. Matas, who has been at the forefront of human rights advocacy internationally for many years, spoke about refugee law and its relations to human rights. He brought up several interesting issues of local and national relevance, as well as discussing the many implications and distortions that have arisen from the law. Mr. Matas also presented some great options for students and young professionals wanting to get involved in learning about refugees, mentioning The Welcome Place and the International Centre in Winnipeg, as two great places to volunteer and learn first-hand about the issues. It was a fascinating discussion and gave all in attendance a real chance to understand, contemplate, and gain knowledge on a topic of integral human rights significance. “Human Rights over Coffee” is a monthly evening discussion held at a coffee shop with a local noted human rights expert, with the intention of promoting human rights awareness and discussion.

For the week of November 26-30, 2007, the Rights and Democracy delegation at the U of M sold bracelets made by a co-op of women in Peru. The women, who are living in poverty in Lima and who have mentally and physically handicapped children, formed a co-op called “Yancana Huasy” to support themselves. The women produce and sell the elaborate and distinct bracelets that were sold at the U of M. Over 300 bracelets were sold, raising more than $600 for the women in Lima, since 100% of the bracelet’s proceeds go directly to them through an organization called Development and Peace.